Can't get my martins back!

[EugeneB]

I have 12 hole martin box that i have had up for years. I would take it down and clean it at the end of the season. For some reason they stopped coming. I know some sparrows nested in after the martins left but i always cleaned it before the martins arrived the next year. I even took it to the car wash and sprayed it good to clean it out but it didnt help. This year I painted it just to brighten it up. Havent seen any yet, Im in central arkansas. Any Ideas.

[jerickey]

Im in northeast ar, Paragould. My first year. I've had a lot of lookers but I don't have any permanent residents as yet I don't think. I do have about 3 different martin established houses within 1/2 mile. I think only the older birds are here not the youngsters, but don't know thar for fact. I'm learning.

[Ocracokelady]

I feel your pain. My main box had minor damage to the top from bad weather and being old. But I put up some gourds and the only thing that will go in them are wasps. I've cleaned the gourds out, sprayed them lightly with Pam cooking spray but no luck. checked them today and there are wasp nest back in a few of them. UGH UGH

[EugeneB]

Maybe its not to late to get a pair. I thinking about putting up another box a few feet away. maybe this will attract them. my brother lives at tuckerman and he always has lots.

[flyin-lowe]

How many years in a row did you have martins nesting, how many pair did you typically have, and when did they stop coming?
Martins typically have very strong site fidelity. If you only had a couple of pair each year it is possible they just didn't survive the migration. If you had 6 pair or more you should have steady returns each year, it is unlikely that all 12 (or however many you have) of your martins would not make it back. Usually either major tree encroachment or some type of predator attack are the reasons that a good colony would not return. Did your entire colony just not show up one year or did you see your numbers gradually decrease?

[EugeneB]

Ive had my pm box about 6 years. My first year I had a couple of pairs and usually had 3-4 pairs every year after that. Year before last I had 11 fledglings and then none last year.

[tor]

Maybe its not to late to get a pair. I thinking about putting up another box a few feet away. maybe this will attract them. my brother lives at tuckerman and he always has lots.

I'm pretty sure it's still time to get martins. The subs are just starting to come around. Good Luck to you.

[Glynn B - LA]

Eugene, you cannot let sparrows nest in any house especially a martin house. Yes we've all witnessed co existing in slum housing but the site is doomed in the end. The best thing you can do is trap/shoot every sparrow and starling that you see around your site. You also need to install appropriate housing in a open area with SREH entrances. Doing this can eliminate most starling intrusion. Another, make sure your housing pole has netting and a proper predator guard. It really is a lot of work to have a successful colony each year. Every year their will be something different thrown at you that you never expected. You can regain your colony with a little luck and hard work. Good luck!


Glynn