Possible injured martin, what to do?
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Guest
I was checking my boxes and was going to add some pine needles to the gourds and while I was lowering them I heard something thrashing around in one of the gourds. Got it lowered and found what looks to be an adult male inside and there looked to be a small amount of blood on the inside of the gourd. He wouldn't fly out so I just added the pine needles and raised it back up. Should I do anything different or just let nature take its course? I will be gone most of the day from about 11 am till 6:30 pm and I plan on checking it when I get home.
Check on the bird when you can. If you have a Wildlife Rehabilitator in your area, I suggest taking the bird to them as soon as possible. They will be able to take care of any breaks or damage the bird has sustained.
Put the bird in a carboard box with holes in it and add some nesting material for transport.
Put the bird in a carboard box with holes in it and add some nesting material for transport.
I'm a "nestcamaholic" Is 18 hours a day a bad thing? (I have 2 this year, luckily I have 2 eyes!)
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John Miller
- Posts: 4866
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 9:11 pm
- Location: St. Louis, MO
I think you just hung these gourds, right. It's hard to diagnose from afar, but I'd check to make sure this guy is not st ruggling to get out of a SREH. Run your finger around the SREH opening and check for burrs. Sometimes the plastic molding process leaves little tips. These can be sanded.
Maybe there's a porch on the outside, but not on the inside and he's having trouble clinging to anything to exit. Hopefully if there is injury it's not to a wing.
Some folks have caged martins and feed them crickets or mealworms for a few days until they get perky and are then released. I bet your guy has exited the gourd by this evening, but do check the entrance.
John Miller
P.S. Please post an update this evening.
Maybe there's a porch on the outside, but not on the inside and he's having trouble clinging to anything to exit. Hopefully if there is injury it's not to a wing.
Some folks have caged martins and feed them crickets or mealworms for a few days until they get perky and are then released. I bet your guy has exited the gourd by this evening, but do check the entrance.
John Miller
P.S. Please post an update this evening.
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CUL Lou~Mich
If those gourds are plastic, it's now recommended that one fill them to nearly the bottom of the entrance way with straw, pine needles, grasses etc. Also like John says, check the entrance for any burrs. CUL Lou
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Guest
Well I got home about a half hour ago and checked the gourd and the PM was gone and no sign of his demise on the ground below so he must have been able to get out and fly on his own. I did put pine needles in both plastic gourds and it looks like it will be much easier for them to reach the porch inside. No burrs found. All is well in martin world in and around Fair Grove Missouri!!
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John Miller
- Posts: 4866
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 9:11 pm
- Location: St. Louis, MO
Keep a close watch. I believe in SREH(s), but these must be used carefully.
Your crescent may be slightly tight. Not all are precisely sized. They can vary from 29.5 to 30.5, RC Moser has found in measuring with digital calipers. Anything over 30.5 is considered more than the standard, but I have opened mine up to almost 31.0 with no problems. (a hair under 1 7/32") I use the film cansiter to measure. When it snugs in tightly you are there. I would not do this unless the porch level were high, between 1/16 to 3/16. Lower than one-fourth below and starlings can sometimes breach standard crescents.
A martin does need to learn to shimmy to get in and out of standard crescents, but it should not have to bloody itself. The interior porch should have been adequate for him to get out okay. We urge filling the cavity with nest material when there is no porch.
Your crescent may be slightly tight. Not all are precisely sized. They can vary from 29.5 to 30.5, RC Moser has found in measuring with digital calipers. Anything over 30.5 is considered more than the standard, but I have opened mine up to almost 31.0 with no problems. (a hair under 1 7/32") I use the film cansiter to measure. When it snugs in tightly you are there. I would not do this unless the porch level were high, between 1/16 to 3/16. Lower than one-fourth below and starlings can sometimes breach standard crescents.
A martin does need to learn to shimmy to get in and out of standard crescents, but it should not have to bloody itself. The interior porch should have been adequate for him to get out okay. We urge filling the cavity with nest material when there is no porch.
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Guss P O'Brien
During a nest check a couple weeks ago, I heard a racket coming from one compartment. I thought it was a fight to the death. They were screeching and tumbling and turning and writhing. It turned out to be two females- wrestling I guess or something. They were ok. Maybe some of that naughty activity Dale reported so insensitively a couple months ago. 