Finding Martin Feathers Scattered Around Property
Have about 40 Martins - finding feathers scattered around my lawn. Not in piles, just a feather here and a feather there. Mostly wing feathers, not the fluffy breast type feathers. Do Martins lose these from time to time? Is this normal or do I have a problem?
Bill -Waddy, KY
-
KathyF
- Posts: 3522
- Joined: Thu May 24, 2007 1:57 pm
- Location: Missouri/Licking
- Martin Colony History: Colony started - 2007 with one pair
As of 2018 - 84 cavities offered, max # of pairs hosted - 82.
Bill, Do you have predator guards on your pole to keep climbing predators such as racoons from climbing your poles?
"Sometimes", said Pooh, "the smallest things take up the most room in your heart."
2023 - 82 pair
2022 - 80 pair
2021 - 75 pair
2020 - 78 pair
2019 - 80 pair
http://kathyfreeze.blogspot.com
2023 - 82 pair
2022 - 80 pair
2021 - 75 pair
2020 - 78 pair
2019 - 80 pair
http://kathyfreeze.blogspot.com
-
birdy girl
- Posts: 1179
- Joined: Wed Apr 19, 2006 9:09 am
- Location: Mississippi/Dumas
We have 167 pair of martins and don't see wing feathers scattered here or there. Occasionally might see one here or there within the colony. Sounds like to me you have some type of preditation going on.
-
ToyinPA
- Posts: 2227
- Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2006 6:07 pm
- Location: PA/Avis
- Martin Colony History: The 1972 St. Agnes flood wiped out all the Martins in my area. One day, in 1997-98, 5 or 6 Martins landed on the power wires crossing my back yard. I had no house for them. They kept coming back day after day. We got a martin house a few weeks later & they have been coming back every year since. I average 12-15 pair per year.
I often find a few wing or tail feathers, but not a lot. They do molt out a few during reeding season. So if you only have a few then I'd say yes normal. If you have more then I'd say predator.
Toy in PA
Toy in PA
PMCA Member
-
Louise Chambers
- Site Admin
- Posts: 6208
- Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 1:07 pm
- Location: Corpus Christi, TX
Can you share photos of a few of the feathers? It's often possible to tell if they are from adult or nestling, molted naturally or plucked by a predator.