My husband and I just put up 6 Super Gourds yesterday. I put pine needles in the bottom. My question is how much pine needles do you put in these, I just covered the bottom. I have heard conflicting reports on this so I was wanting some insight. Do I put more in the super gourds so they can get to the hole better or just leave it and let them do it themselves.
Thanks for everyones help on this site!
Donna
Question on Super Gourds
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Emil Pampell-Tx
- Posts: 6743
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 1:26 pm
- Location: Tx, Richmond (SW of Houston)
- Martin Colony History: First started in Gretna, La in 1969 with a small homemade house, have had martins ever since at 2 different homes in Texas
I have noticed for many years, that the martins try to fill the gourds up to the entrance holes. I have seen them really put a lot of stuff into the gourds to accomplish that. therefore, in my opinion, I think its best to fill the gourds level with the entrance hole, the martins will come and push the nesting material many ways, they pack it down quite a bit, and add yet more so that it is close to being level with the entrance hole again..
Having observed that, I now put the entrance hole lower on natural gourds than I put them when I first started.
Like always, there are many different opinions on this subject..If you do nothing and don;t add any, they may still use the gourd, but I try to help them out as much as I can...I guess I spoil them...
Having observed that, I now put the entrance hole lower on natural gourds than I put them when I first started.
Like always, there are many different opinions on this subject..If you do nothing and don;t add any, they may still use the gourd, but I try to help them out as much as I can...I guess I spoil them...
PMCA Member, 250 gourds, 6 poles, 2traps
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Donna - TX
- Posts: 889
- Joined: Fri Feb 03, 2006 6:44 pm
- Location: Texas/Pearland
Well as they say a Happy bird is a Healthy bird....
Thanks for the info.
Donna
Thanks for the info.
Donna
Another question about gourds. This is my first year to put up gourds, 4 supergourds. Do the martins add mud to their nests in the gourds? I know in my aluminum houses they put a surprising amount of mud, especially in the front near the entrance. In most of photos I see of nestlings in the gourds I don't notice much mud. Thanks...
~Patrick~
~Patrick~
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Emil Pampell-Tx
- Posts: 6743
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 1:26 pm
- Location: Tx, Richmond (SW of Houston)
- Martin Colony History: First started in Gretna, La in 1969 with a small homemade house, have had martins ever since at 2 different homes in Texas
Pat, we still do not know why mud is added, but as in my case, I use SREH and tunneled entrances, only about 2% of the gourds have mud added...for some reason, the martins do not feel that they need mud if the gourds or houses are designed with some of the newest ideas..
PMCA Member, 250 gourds, 6 poles, 2traps
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Donna - TX
- Posts: 889
- Joined: Fri Feb 03, 2006 6:44 pm
- Location: Texas/Pearland
Hi Emil,
You seem to know a lot about Purple Martins, how long have you been doing this and how many houses & or gourds do you have?
I put more pine needles in the gourds today and a male was investigating.
He would swoop down look in the gourds and then fly back up to the female. He did this 3 times. When she finally came down she went into the MK12 house that I have converted to bigger rooms. Does this mean she prefers the house over the gourds and was the male trying to get her to go in the gourds?
I know some of my questions will sound stupid but I am new at this and I am trying to get all the info. I can on purple martins through experienced people. The people around here I have noticed don't do nest checks and let the sparrows take over so I don't want to ask them anything. I am so glad I found this forum.
You seem to know a lot about Purple Martins, how long have you been doing this and how many houses & or gourds do you have?
I put more pine needles in the gourds today and a male was investigating.
He would swoop down look in the gourds and then fly back up to the female. He did this 3 times. When she finally came down she went into the MK12 house that I have converted to bigger rooms. Does this mean she prefers the house over the gourds and was the male trying to get her to go in the gourds?
I know some of my questions will sound stupid but I am new at this and I am trying to get all the info. I can on purple martins through experienced people. The people around here I have noticed don't do nest checks and let the sparrows take over so I don't want to ask them anything. I am so glad I found this forum.