I have a big question that I hope someone may be able to answer. My Inlaws live in Centertown, KY and have had a large Martin Colony for almost 5-years. Last year they had an attack on their colony by a Red Tailed Hawk but did not appear to do much damage other than scare the birds away for a couple days. However, most of the birds returned to the colony in about 24-48 hrs. The big suprise this year is that as of current date they have ZERO Martins at their site??? So, did this last years Hawk attack cause this effect on the birds? The only other thing that has changed at their site prior to the March/April arrival of ASY Martins is that they removed a large white wooden house that was a haven for European Starlings. So they replaced the wooden house with two aluminum houses side by side on the same post.
Anyway, this is their story and I want to provide them any help possible. We have watched ASY Martins come into the area of the houses and actually land but they never stay.
Any thoughts from anyone on the issue? They still have time for the coming of the SY Martins but time is running out.
Thanks,
Shane Doan
Franklin, KY
What Happened to my In-Laws Martins?
Shane,
A predator attack can cause a colony to desert a site. Did the martins fledge babies after they had been gone and returned after a couple of days? Was the attack early or late in the nesting season? Did the hawk actually catch any of the martins? Snakes can also cause a colony to leave and they often leave no traces that they've been there.
Patrick
A predator attack can cause a colony to desert a site. Did the martins fledge babies after they had been gone and returned after a couple of days? Was the attack early or late in the nesting season? Did the hawk actually catch any of the martins? Snakes can also cause a colony to leave and they often leave no traces that they've been there.
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
Was a predator guard used on the pole. This sounds like a snake got into the martins..
Another possibility is owls. Owls can reach into 6x6 compartments and they will come back every night to catch 1 or 2 until the colony is deserted. Observing the martins can indicate this, if the martins are afraid to land at night, you may have owls attacking.
The hawk could cause it if he came repeatedly
Another possibility is owls. Owls can reach into 6x6 compartments and they will come back every night to catch 1 or 2 until the colony is deserted. Observing the martins can indicate this, if the martins are afraid to land at night, you may have owls attacking.
The hawk could cause it if he came repeatedly
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Bob Rogers
- Posts: 226
- Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2004 6:48 pm
- Location: Arnold, Missouri
Hawks and owls should never be taken lightly, but, unless your colony is being hit relentlessly, your colony should survive. Landlords who have lost there entire PM colony, had a number of hawks/owls hammer their colony throughout the day/night. PM's are resilient birds, and will usually handle an "occasonial" hawk attack. I have only seen (1) owl at my colony, but I understand they can terminate a colony in short order! If you only have (1) house and several PM's, the destruction can take place rather quickly. To my knowledge, my colony has thus far been spared a snake or coon attack. Be present as much as possible around your colony and good luck 
Bob R.
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Glen Webb Jr
- Posts: 478
- Joined: Tue Jan 06, 2004 1:03 pm
- Location: Illinois/Stewardson
Exactly my thoughts. I cannot believe a red-tailed hawk would cause colony abandonment. They just dont' have the speed to sneak up on martins IMO. I had a snake attack one year and if I hadn't noticed the two bachelor subadults fussing over a gourd and wouldn't enter it that particular morning, the snake would likely have wiped out the birds nesting on the gourd cluster. I think a snake attack can be much more mysterious than a hawk or owl attack. I could be very wrong, but just from what I've seen, if the martins dont' see the snake entering the colony, it could go undetected.Was a predator guard used on the pole. This sounds like a snake got into the martins..
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Guest
Shane,
I am here in central Illinois. Last year I had 7 pair that fledges 28. I had 20-22 total martins living here full time. I had a pair a couple weeks ago. I had a post up called " I hope I didn't blow it". The single pair was in top of one of my trio-pioneer's (double compartments) . We were suppose to get a storm in with chances of 70 mph winds and large hail, ect..
I know you are not suppose to lower housing @ night, but I thought what could it hurt to sneak a rope around pole and tether it down. We'll I must of jiggles the pole just enough to get them to take off. 
. We'll any after storm had passed, my wife said she had seen them sitting on the house the next morning. Since then I had seen three asy male and 2 sy females on the housing at once. I had seen the pair go into one of the castle compartments for several minutes. Now I haven't noticed anything staying the night, not 100% on that. I do have an asy male that comes 3-4 times a day. He has brought back females and then he flies to the castle and starts calling to them. He did bring back three the other day. He landed but the wouldn't. I checked housing for anything unusual, nothing. Full of pine straw and ready to go.
Anyway that was one pair. What happened to the other 6 pair. Not to mention the other 8 or so that was living there? Lately I have also seen a couple asy males show up and sit on the housing...maybe they are just waiting for the sy's to get here???
I had no visible attacks on this colony, never have seen a snake, Have pole guards. I just don't know whats going on. Hopefully the sy's will get here soon and these asy males can find a mate, and choose this housing.
I also seen a post on here where they had a established colony for over 50yr, I think three generations? And they said they had nothing. Not sure about now? Maybe I can find that post to see if they finally got some.
Sorry so long, but the wife has heard it enough times.....
Wishing you Martins!
Good luck
Craig
I am here in central Illinois. Last year I had 7 pair that fledges 28. I had 20-22 total martins living here full time. I had a pair a couple weeks ago. I had a post up called " I hope I didn't blow it". The single pair was in top of one of my trio-pioneer's (double compartments) . We were suppose to get a storm in with chances of 70 mph winds and large hail, ect..
I know you are not suppose to lower housing @ night, but I thought what could it hurt to sneak a rope around pole and tether it down. We'll I must of jiggles the pole just enough to get them to take off. . We'll any after storm had passed, my wife said she had seen them sitting on the house the next morning. Since then I had seen three asy male and 2 sy females on the housing at once. I had seen the pair go into one of the castle compartments for several minutes. Now I haven't noticed anything staying the night, not 100% on that. I do have an asy male that comes 3-4 times a day. He has brought back females and then he flies to the castle and starts calling to them. He did bring back three the other day. He landed but the wouldn't. I checked housing for anything unusual, nothing. Full of pine straw and ready to go.Anyway that was one pair. What happened to the other 6 pair. Not to mention the other 8 or so that was living there? Lately I have also seen a couple asy males show up and sit on the housing...maybe they are just waiting for the sy's to get here???
I had no visible attacks on this colony, never have seen a snake, Have pole guards. I just don't know whats going on. Hopefully the sy's will get here soon and these asy males can find a mate, and choose this housing.
I also seen a post on here where they had a established colony for over 50yr, I think three generations? And they said they had nothing. Not sure about now? Maybe I can find that post to see if they finally got some.
Sorry so long, but the wife has heard it enough times.....
Wishing you Martins!
Good luck
Craig