Question about Excluder note on FAQ

[Scully]

On question #18 on the "Martin FAQ" (frequently asked questions) link it mentions the Excluder entrance with...

"...Excluder entrances were designed by Duke Snyder to completely exclude starlings from entering Purple Martin houses. They are "bat-shaped" entrances and have been successfully used on porched housing, but have not proven successful on porchless housing..."

Not successful on porchless housing???

Is this because martins cannot readily gain entry without a porch, or because starlings CAN gain entry?

Thanks
Mike

[Laverne]

Hey Scully,

In my humble opinion - and from my own personal experience with the batwing excluder - I do not believe a Purple Martin can enter the confines of this design without the aid of a porch. I - Could - Be - Wrong, though! So, don't hold me to that.

However, I also know, that no Starling ever entered my PM housing sporting batwing excluders and porches. For what that's worth...

Hello Students - Have a great season.

[Louise Chambers]

Mike, at the time the FAQ was compiled, Excluders simply had not been used on unporched houses or gourds - so it wasn't known if martins could negotiate them. We now know that martins can manage to enter Excluders on gourds, with and without porches. It's usually advised to use them with porches. There are a few cases of starlings getting into modified Excluders (WDC type) but none that I can recall of them nesting in original Excluder entrance.

Are your students ready for the martins? :-)

Louise

[Scully]

Hi Louise and Laverne

Thanks for the info.

I'm curious as to how our own martins will make out this year with those 8 crescent Naturelines with no perch or porch.

Mike