Troyer's Book: Recommendations for Attracting PMs

[Sarah Jane]

I read his book, My Purple Martin Journey, and found several recommendations for attracting PMs. I have done the following:
1. proper height and placement of housing near human residence, nearby body of water, and open flyways.
2. Place a PM decoy
3. Dawn song/PM chatter at 4 AM - 9 AM and again in the afternoon
4. Daubing mud on the entrances to make it look like PMs have been investigating. Troyer's book has an image of a gourd being wiped with mud on the inside, all over.
5. Provide pine needles for nesting material
6. Add a predator guard if you want to keep them safe.
7. Odds are better if you have a colony nearby.

My theory is that the nearby colony is a house-style, not gourd. PMs I had last year to my cheap-o plastic house built 3 nests in 3 compartments. I saw PMs, but did not have a way to check nests. I have a new pole and winch now, but switched to Troyer Horz gourds with SREH . I did see PMs perching often last year, but there were no leaves in the neat nests when we took the old house down early this year to put up a new gourd rack.

My hunch is that there's a colony nearby that is using a PM house without gourds, since I have not seen any PMs this year, at least none on my gourd rack. And other than my PM dawn song, have not heard any. My hummingbirds are back, however. Last year I had between 30 - 50 nesting in the forested area between my house and the river.

MAYBE... I need to put the old house up again next year and have gourds underneath it. We put the old plastic house up very late last year, in the last week of March, which likely helped. But those pairs that built the 3 nests did not stay for the new gourds. If PMs are all helped and not desperate for nesting cavities, then the familiar house would be the first choice. Yes, PMs will use SREH, but only the more intrepid will investigate and try it out vs. the familiar house-style. Troyer himself started with T-14s and added gourd-only racks much later.

No other birds have been seen in/on the gourds. Occasionally birds have perched on the top of the rack.

[KathyF]

Sarah, I've blogged about how to choose the best housing for your own neighborhood. Take a look at what my sister experienced.

http://kathyfreeze.blogspot.com/2014/05 ... urple.html

[handyman315]

I would not dwell on the type of housing that might, or might not, be in your area. It's a factor, but one of many, and probably not nearly the most important one. It sounds like you are doing a lot of things right.

What about competition from Tree Swallows and Sparrows? If so, I would recommend keeping housing closed until the first Martins show up. Establishing a new colony, especially with SY or mostly SY Martins can really be adversely affected by aggressive TS & HOSP . . . at least mine was.

Best of luck to you.

[Fireflyfisherman]

I started with a plastic house. After two seasons I added a gourd rack and kept the house up. The martins took right to the gourd rack even though I haven’t seen any gourds up within 3 miles of my place. This year I expanded the gourd rack. After a really successful first gourd season My neighbor bought some and attracted many pairs. My plastic house has only had about 50% occupation but all my gourds filled up their first season. I also eliminate every house sparrow and starling I see which makes my site more appealing than the other houses around here. Not sure how many of the new gourds will fill up this season but it is looking good so far.

I also do the the things recommended. The pine needles really help and every season it seems like I should have added more. I believe the smeared mud really helps. I smear the porch entrances and I’m sure it attracts extra looks. It eventually will wash off with the rain. Can’t wait to hear how it works for you. Good luck.

[Spiderman]

I have had wooden houses for ten years and attracted many Martins over time.

Last year I bought a Gemini Gourd rack with horizontal gourds, but left the wooden housing in place. I was concerned about them changing the style of nests but it turned out to not be an issue. While the remaining wooden houses are full. I have since added a 2nd Gemini Gourd rack with 30 gourds on each one. At this time both of the Gourd racks have 50% occupancy.

They will adapt more easily to change than I thought. I did add nesting materials (pine needles) to the Gourds and even saved some of the oak leaves from last fall that seem to like so well.

Open areas and a water source near by are the things that I think Martins use in deciding on a new colony location.

Good Luck with your Martins this Season.