I hope I'm not being redundant, but would like to learn more about the variances in entrance holes. We have a REALLY large ASY martin that I have watched struggle to get into our SREHs on our old S&K and new Trendsetter. She has not been successful. I can't be certain it is the same one that has appeared in days past (over the last 2 weeks), but today I watched her all morning. She has attempted to follow the male courting her into 4 different compartments, one several times. We had 2 females here this morning, the other one going in and checking out compartments, this one just can't seem to fit. She pushes in to a point and then backs out and cocks her head around looking at the house like "what's wrong"? I can't sit on my hands any longer....my fingers are getting numb!
When we started I read some and we have chosen the SREHs because we do have a few starlings. Made sense. This year after getting the TS we saw more info about the Conyer openings and I wondered if we missed something. I have seen the discussions where others have had wing entrapment issues and even deaths. Is this why some stick with the original round openings? What was the evolution and what benefit to the conyer vs the sreh?
Will this girl be able to get in or should we alter a door? Is this common?
Hoping for some discussion for us newbies, or maybe it already exists and someone can point me in that direction! Thanks
Janet
Entrance hole education
Hi Janet.
This is a great topic!
Many other will enter in also, with their experiences with the various types of starling resistant entrances.
To get the ball rolling, I though I'd post a small chart, showing the more popular, commercially available variants.
This is a great topic!
Many other will enter in also, with their experiences with the various types of starling resistant entrances.
To get the ball rolling, I though I'd post a small chart, showing the more popular, commercially available variants.
Last edited by Matt F. on Sat May 21, 2016 6:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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John Miller
- Posts: 4866
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 9:11 pm
- Location: St. Louis, MO
as I understand, this is a crescent and the male is entering. You say the female is large. This is very unusual as I think the females are slightly smaller. but if this is what you are observing, then let's go with it.
If were me, I'd slightly open a single crescent some for her. With one crescent on a house slightly opened, your risk for starlings getting in there is fairly low -- some risk -- and every day now the starling season is winding down some. They will certainly start nests in Kentucky in May, but height of their season probably is April.
Sand the bottom of the crescent aggressively with rough sandpaper; plan to plate over next year to bring back to spec.
John
ahem..as soon as I clicked submit, I wondered if you are seeing a newly arrived sub adult male checking out the entrance and your female actually is inside, or is in process of laying eggs daily. Maybe lower and do a nest check.
If were me, I'd slightly open a single crescent some for her. With one crescent on a house slightly opened, your risk for starlings getting in there is fairly low -- some risk -- and every day now the starling season is winding down some. They will certainly start nests in Kentucky in May, but height of their season probably is April.
Sand the bottom of the crescent aggressively with rough sandpaper; plan to plate over next year to bring back to spec.
John
ahem..as soon as I clicked submit, I wondered if you are seeing a newly arrived sub adult male checking out the entrance and your female actually is inside, or is in process of laying eggs daily. Maybe lower and do a nest check.
Thanks Matt...I had no idea there were so many. Can anyone talk some about the advantages of the different holes. And I apologize...Conley, not conyer.
John,
I worked really hard on this ID because it wasn't making sense to me either. I have had visitors for over 2 weeks and overnight stays here and there, mainly males. A couple I have been able to id as the same guys coming back regularly. No nesting at all yet.
Early today there were 2 ASY males and two that weren't.
One of the ones that "wasn't" I picked up some spots under his tail and more dark feathers around his neck and decided he might be a SY male. I am able to sit on the back proch nesrby with binoculars. My husband got some pictures but they aren't good for definite ID.
The other is the one I believe to be a ASY female. She meets all the id criteria and the behavior of the other 3 certainly indicates "she's hot stuff"! Keep in mind, I have no confusion with others as the most I have had at one time at the houses is 4! Throughout the day one male has remained close (ASY..lovely boy). When another male comes in he chases it off. When this female comes in he seems to me to be courting. He will chat her up on the porch/perch/wherever he can get her to land and then he will duck in and continue sweet talk and she will sit on the rail and listen and eventually attempt to get in. Sitting next to each other "she" is larger. Could my she be a he? I suppose I am going a lot on the males behavior as well as "her" marking/coloring. I will try and get some pictures and I will open up the hole as you suggested. And you are right, our starling has quit with his rounds of the martin house over the last few days.
Thanks again
John,
I worked really hard on this ID because it wasn't making sense to me either. I have had visitors for over 2 weeks and overnight stays here and there, mainly males. A couple I have been able to id as the same guys coming back regularly. No nesting at all yet.
Early today there were 2 ASY males and two that weren't.
One of the ones that "wasn't" I picked up some spots under his tail and more dark feathers around his neck and decided he might be a SY male. I am able to sit on the back proch nesrby with binoculars. My husband got some pictures but they aren't good for definite ID. The other is the one I believe to be a ASY female. She meets all the id criteria and the behavior of the other 3 certainly indicates "she's hot stuff"! Keep in mind, I have no confusion with others as the most I have had at one time at the houses is 4! Throughout the day one male has remained close (ASY..lovely boy). When another male comes in he chases it off. When this female comes in he seems to me to be courting. He will chat her up on the porch/perch/wherever he can get her to land and then he will duck in and continue sweet talk and she will sit on the rail and listen and eventually attempt to get in. Sitting next to each other "she" is larger. Could my she be a he? I suppose I am going a lot on the males behavior as well as "her" marking/coloring. I will try and get some pictures and I will open up the hole as you suggested. And you are right, our starling has quit with his rounds of the martin house over the last few days.
Thanks again
I just wanted to say I think they can get in. I spent 2 years of reopening my round holes because they would only peak in and go half in and try to back out. then when they are ready they go right in like butter. even today they all still peak in gourd to gourd when they all live here and know how to go in. what I suggest is what I do. offer a little variety of entrances just not round. they will find one to get into. they all can. people just think they cant and freak out like I did. they will get it. and you save their life by not giving round holes.
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Jack Petty-IL
- Posts: 46
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 7:51 pm
- Location: Illinois
I see this all the time also! get halfway in and back out. I agree to that the martin will eventually push through when it wants to. The only thing that would stop it could be insufficient grip inside and outside of the entrance. But if others are having no problem then this one should eventually go through! But they sure cause anxiety for the landlords! 
Jack-IL
Glad to hear there is thought she may be able to enter. I have watched this behavior for 3 years now, just never had the impression one couldn't get in if she wanted. All sorts of story spinning in the head...."Honey, I wouldn't move into this place for anything, and look, no one else is here either." "Yes, but my dear sweetie pie , think of it as all OURS with no other birds clamoring around and singing at all hours. It's perfect. Just step in and give it a look."
I shall be at ready with telephoto in hand in case "Amazon" (we are so certain we have named her) shows up again. I wonder where these other males and females live. They visit and another male has stayed over night at times. Now the star male has claimed the site, just no permanent company. He protected the favored house aggressively as I lowered it yesterday, thinking he was gone for the afternoon. So he is optimistic! As am I.
In regards to the various entrances, I assume they have evolved to keep out starlings and am wondering if some were also hoping to keep out sparrows? I checked closely and our gourds (which have not been added yet) have the clinger entrances. And I thought our new trendsetter had wing entrapment guards on the inside. Then I red a few threads about wing entrapment and I believe it was John that mentioned adding this to TS. I know there is a system in place on the interior and exterior of the S&K, right?
Again, thanks to all! Ya'll are great!
I shall be at ready with telephoto in hand in case "Amazon" (we are so certain we have named her) shows up again. I wonder where these other males and females live. They visit and another male has stayed over night at times. Now the star male has claimed the site, just no permanent company. He protected the favored house aggressively as I lowered it yesterday, thinking he was gone for the afternoon. So he is optimistic! As am I.
In regards to the various entrances, I assume they have evolved to keep out starlings and am wondering if some were also hoping to keep out sparrows? I checked closely and our gourds (which have not been added yet) have the clinger entrances. And I thought our new trendsetter had wing entrapment guards on the inside. Then I red a few threads about wing entrapment and I believe it was John that mentioned adding this to TS. I know there is a system in place on the interior and exterior of the S&K, right?
Again, thanks to all! Ya'll are great!
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DebA
- Posts: 1941
- Joined: Tue May 04, 2010 7:43 am
- Location: Pratt County/Kansas
- Martin Colony History: Start 2009 with one pair. Upgraded from S&K houses to two Trendsetter 12's with gourds beneath in 2013. I have experienced job, pet, and parental losses since '13. The Purple Martins lift my spirits and remind me how life continues forward by flying their little selves from Brazil back to my yard. As one forum person once told me, chin up DebA, look at the martins. Danger all around but yet they soar in the sky without a care in the world.
Janet, that cracked me up! I do that too in my head. What are they saying to each other?
I bought my Trendsetter this year and it came with the wing guards. I lost a martin in mine. I learned in that thread that the TS didn't used to come with the guards. So that is new. However, I have no idea when the manufacturer started putting them in.
Deb
I bought my Trendsetter this year and it came with the wing guards. I lost a martin in mine. I learned in that thread that the TS didn't used to come with the guards. So that is new. However, I have no idea when the manufacturer started putting them in.
Deb
PMCA MEMBER
Pratt County, Kansas
2016 34 PAIR
2015 27 PAIR
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2013 13 PAIR
2012 6 PAIR
2011 4 PAIR
2010 2 PAIR
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Pratt County, Kansas
2016 34 PAIR
2015 27 PAIR
2014 23 PAIR
2013 13 PAIR
2012 6 PAIR
2011 4 PAIR
2010 2 PAIR
2009 1 PAIR
Thanks ya'll, and Deb, you have certainly given me cause for a chuckle often! We have a resident translator here. Granted, it is just a voice in my head, but hey. 
"Amazon" showed up again first thing this morning, before I even had time to think of where the camera was. Standing on the porch of an S&K her head is a fraction of an inch under the porch above. The male looks to have a good inch clearance next to her. She has had a very hard time landing, which I see often, but it is like she doesn't improve. She didn't even try to enter this morning, just a few awkward landings and then off. I probably did a stupid thing, but after reading lots of info on the forum, we decided to leave our old S&K up with the new TS. I read that often new housing in a young colony (we only had one pair of subbies last year) could cause issues. Then read about opening up the compartments in S&K, had the Amazon arrive, so simply removed the partitions in the compartments. Worried I have now left them too big? arrggghhhhh
Thanks for the diagrams Rick. None of our starlings have ever been able to get in the standard crescent doors. We have 3 that would do the rounds every morning before they nested. Last year the mockingbird harrassed them so much after they nested that they split. This year they have nested in a rafter of an outbuilding, away from the martins and mockers. Should we leave that nest alone I wonder, or at what stage remove eggs?
The quest continues....
"Amazon" showed up again first thing this morning, before I even had time to think of where the camera was. Standing on the porch of an S&K her head is a fraction of an inch under the porch above. The male looks to have a good inch clearance next to her. She has had a very hard time landing, which I see often, but it is like she doesn't improve. She didn't even try to enter this morning, just a few awkward landings and then off. I probably did a stupid thing, but after reading lots of info on the forum, we decided to leave our old S&K up with the new TS. I read that often new housing in a young colony (we only had one pair of subbies last year) could cause issues. Then read about opening up the compartments in S&K, had the Amazon arrive, so simply removed the partitions in the compartments. Worried I have now left them too big? arrggghhhhh
Thanks for the diagrams Rick. None of our starlings have ever been able to get in the standard crescent doors. We have 3 that would do the rounds every morning before they nested. Last year the mockingbird harrassed them so much after they nested that they split. This year they have nested in a rafter of an outbuilding, away from the martins and mockers. Should we leave that nest alone I wonder, or at what stage remove eggs?
The quest continues....