My PM visitors were back for a visit late this afternoon, around 6:30, and both sat up on our roof and just looked around, swirled around in the air a few times and left again after about an hour. I want to purchase a few gourds to put up, to see if it will help encourage them to stay and start a colony. I already have an 8 unit Quad Pod system and a tri-level plastic SK house up. What type/style/brand gourds do Martins seem to like the best? I'm in my second year of wannabe a PM landlord.
Thanks. cby in Salem, VA
What type/brand'style gourds do Martins like best
-
John Miller
- Posts: 4863
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 9:11 pm
- Location: St. Louis, MO
CB
There are many choices. Martins look foremost for a good open site, and secondarily at housing types.
Many landlords are sold on the Troyer gourds and martin seem to like them. They somewhat mimic a woodpecker cavity. I think they look weird, and so have some personal resistance. Other plastic gourds vary in weight and should be chosen in part based on how a landlord plans to hang them. Supergourds are quality product, but need a sturdy rack.
Martins seem to choose natural gourds over plastic. I've had very good luck with naturals with tunnel entrances, which also mimic a woodpecker hole -- but again, I can't emphasize enough that it's the site, not the type of housing that initially attracts martins.
John Miller
There are many choices. Martins look foremost for a good open site, and secondarily at housing types.
Many landlords are sold on the Troyer gourds and martin seem to like them. They somewhat mimic a woodpecker cavity. I think they look weird, and so have some personal resistance. Other plastic gourds vary in weight and should be chosen in part based on how a landlord plans to hang them. Supergourds are quality product, but need a sturdy rack.
Martins seem to choose natural gourds over plastic. I've had very good luck with naturals with tunnel entrances, which also mimic a woodpecker hole -- but again, I can't emphasize enough that it's the site, not the type of housing that initially attracts martins.
John Miller
John, Thank you so much for your help. I will check out the Troyers for now, since I want to get something up pretty fast, then look at natural gourds, later. I will see if we can hook them on the pole with the Quad Pods. It is in an open field about 180 feet from the back of our house, and about 60 feet from the SK plastic house that was our first PM housing. The SK house is about 75 feet from the back of our house. We have a river at the end of the field that is about 250 yards from their housing, plus we keep bird baths filled around our yard all the time.
Thanks again. cby
Thanks again. cby
cb
-
Guest
CB,
I have used everything from houses, small plastic gourds, super gourds, to natural gourds. I now only use Super gourds and they are all full. (24ea) But when I had a mixed collection here is the order that my birds preferred.
Large natural, super gourds,
large house compartment,
small natural, small house compartment,
small plastic.
I stated my colony off on natural gourds and found them to do well.
seems that once you get them established they are a little less finicky.
good luck
I have used everything from houses, small plastic gourds, super gourds, to natural gourds. I now only use Super gourds and they are all full. (24ea) But when I had a mixed collection here is the order that my birds preferred.
Large natural, super gourds,
large house compartment,
small natural, small house compartment,
small plastic.
I stated my colony off on natural gourds and found them to do well.
seems that once you get them established they are a little less finicky.
good luck
-
Sigundo
I have a plastic house and 4 types of gourds. There may be some bias due to site fidelity, but in my backyard the martins filled the gourds in the following manner.
1. Natureline gourds. (Martins: Fight over these things, even try to take over the TS one on a shepards hook well away from the martin house. Martins entered them immediatly by hanging on the edge and rolling into the SREH.Me: I dont like the fact that you have to assemble these, and the original screws needed to be replaced to hold them together, but the rain sheild above the hole is nice).
2. S&K Double gourds. (Martins: Started moving into these within an hour of putting them up. Took them a little bit of trying to get into them (they have a porch, but you can leave it off if you like), but once they were successful the first time, slide right in. They will also fight over these gourds as well, so be ready for that. Me: I couldn't get my arm in from the back to fasten the final screw for the doorway (once I got the wife/kids to reach in with the last bolt with smaller arms, it was a piece of cake). I love these gourds design wise (if the martins nest where they are supposed to, I can't imagine anything that can reach them from the entrance, unless its small enough to get IN the entrance (sparrow, snake)). Only complaint I have at all is that if you buy the double gourd rack and try to fill it with double gourds, they will not all fit on it (rods need to be about 2-3 inches longer then you'd be just fine).
3. S&K Big Bo's. (Martins: Will nest in these, but do not fight over them as much as the other gourds above, and if there are Naturelines/Double Gourds available, most likely wont look twice. The naturelines are SLIGHTLY larger, so I think the reluctance here is the inside porch, as the martins that moved into the Big Bo's moved into the ones I assembled without the inside porch (every other one) first, then took the inside porched ones. (the inside porch will serve to protect the martins inside from being grabbed and stop pre-hopping martins from reaching the entrance hole to fall out, but my martins don't like those porches it seems). ME: They are nice gourds, I love the doorway entrance/cleaning hole and of course they fit well onto an S&K gourd rack (which they should I suppose
). Next year I'll probably take the inside porch off as the martins have made their desires known.
4: S&K Bo's. (Martins: So far no takers with these. Had some looking from TS, but no activity. Could be that I have the Naturelines, Double Gourds and Big Bo's available, so I probably wouldn't take them either with larger gourds available if I was a martin. ME: They're nicely built, easy to open for cleaning and of course also fit on the racks, but I think I'll set the ones I have up for attracting other birds.
Conclusion: Of all the gourds I have, I plan on mainly going with Double Gourds when I start putting up more gourds. They have lots of space, are one peice and the martins love them. They are huge, so take that into account if you plan to mount them below a house or something and of course there is the fit issue (you CAN cram them onto the double rack, and attach them together with string or bolts, so that if the front hole has to hang off the rack, the gourd will not fall off, but a couple of them will have to lean slightly to make this work (doesn't seem to stop the martins though)). I checked online at a few companies and getting longer rods is possible, but a bit pricey.
1. Natureline gourds. (Martins: Fight over these things, even try to take over the TS one on a shepards hook well away from the martin house. Martins entered them immediatly by hanging on the edge and rolling into the SREH.Me: I dont like the fact that you have to assemble these, and the original screws needed to be replaced to hold them together, but the rain sheild above the hole is nice).
2. S&K Double gourds. (Martins: Started moving into these within an hour of putting them up. Took them a little bit of trying to get into them (they have a porch, but you can leave it off if you like), but once they were successful the first time, slide right in. They will also fight over these gourds as well, so be ready for that. Me: I couldn't get my arm in from the back to fasten the final screw for the doorway (once I got the wife/kids to reach in with the last bolt with smaller arms, it was a piece of cake). I love these gourds design wise (if the martins nest where they are supposed to, I can't imagine anything that can reach them from the entrance, unless its small enough to get IN the entrance (sparrow, snake)). Only complaint I have at all is that if you buy the double gourd rack and try to fill it with double gourds, they will not all fit on it (rods need to be about 2-3 inches longer then you'd be just fine).
3. S&K Big Bo's. (Martins: Will nest in these, but do not fight over them as much as the other gourds above, and if there are Naturelines/Double Gourds available, most likely wont look twice. The naturelines are SLIGHTLY larger, so I think the reluctance here is the inside porch, as the martins that moved into the Big Bo's moved into the ones I assembled without the inside porch (every other one) first, then took the inside porched ones. (the inside porch will serve to protect the martins inside from being grabbed and stop pre-hopping martins from reaching the entrance hole to fall out, but my martins don't like those porches it seems). ME: They are nice gourds, I love the doorway entrance/cleaning hole and of course they fit well onto an S&K gourd rack (which they should I suppose
). Next year I'll probably take the inside porch off as the martins have made their desires known.4: S&K Bo's. (Martins: So far no takers with these. Had some looking from TS, but no activity. Could be that I have the Naturelines, Double Gourds and Big Bo's available, so I probably wouldn't take them either with larger gourds available if I was a martin. ME: They're nicely built, easy to open for cleaning and of course also fit on the racks, but I think I'll set the ones I have up for attracting other birds.
Conclusion: Of all the gourds I have, I plan on mainly going with Double Gourds when I start putting up more gourds. They have lots of space, are one peice and the martins love them. They are huge, so take that into account if you plan to mount them below a house or something and of course there is the fit issue (you CAN cram them onto the double rack, and attach them together with string or bolts, so that if the front hole has to hang off the rack, the gourd will not fall off, but a couple of them will have to lean slightly to make this work (doesn't seem to stop the martins though)). I checked online at a few companies and getting longer rods is possible, but a bit pricey.
We have been running gourds side by side for a few years for comparison. All ther gourd style we have tried have worked pretty well.
First off, whatever gourd you end up using, SREH's are a must.
1) Supergourds: have always performed well. We are very impressed with the WDC modified entrances made by Sandy Bunn, they have exceptional ease of entry by martins combined with effective starling resistance.
DOWNSIDES: heavy for a gourd, no entrance traps compatible with our preferred WDC tunnel entrances.
2) Naturelines: These are lightweight, can be broken down into halves for storage (very important in a school setting). Equipped with a porch on the crescent SREH's the martins love 'em. Our have consitently been occuppied and produced young as well or better than the other gourd types. A very easy to install trap entrance is available for S&S, we use ours extensively.
DOWNSIDES: With no top entrance, nest checks can be difficult. Two-piece design is wetter in wet weather and flat bottom can retain water. Flat bottom can cause leg-splay in nestlings. Plain crescent entrance with no porch seems quite difficult for martins to learn.
Big Bo: Small, lightweight, inexpensive. Switchable entrace types.
DOWNSIDES: Edges of crescent entrances much be sanded carefully to eliminate sharp edges. Some object to the translucent plastic used on this gourd.
Mike Scully
First off, whatever gourd you end up using, SREH's are a must.
1) Supergourds: have always performed well. We are very impressed with the WDC modified entrances made by Sandy Bunn, they have exceptional ease of entry by martins combined with effective starling resistance.
DOWNSIDES: heavy for a gourd, no entrance traps compatible with our preferred WDC tunnel entrances.
2) Naturelines: These are lightweight, can be broken down into halves for storage (very important in a school setting). Equipped with a porch on the crescent SREH's the martins love 'em. Our have consitently been occuppied and produced young as well or better than the other gourd types. A very easy to install trap entrance is available for S&S, we use ours extensively.
DOWNSIDES: With no top entrance, nest checks can be difficult. Two-piece design is wetter in wet weather and flat bottom can retain water. Flat bottom can cause leg-splay in nestlings. Plain crescent entrance with no porch seems quite difficult for martins to learn.
Big Bo: Small, lightweight, inexpensive. Switchable entrace types.
DOWNSIDES: Edges of crescent entrances much be sanded carefully to eliminate sharp edges. Some object to the translucent plastic used on this gourd.
Mike Scully
-
Guest
Gourds are almost unheard of where I have my colony. I put up 4 naturals last year - they were completely ignored by all ASY birds. Eventually SYs occupied 2 of the 4.
This year I offered 8 naturals : again completely ignored by ASYs until 2 new ASY birds showed( I suspect they might be the ones that occupied the gourds last year) up and settled in the gourds the same day. As of today all 8 gourds are occupied, apart from the 1st 2 by SY birds.
I gourds are not popular in your area the chance of them working to your advantage will be greatly diminished.
This year I offered 8 naturals : again completely ignored by ASYs until 2 new ASY birds showed( I suspect they might be the ones that occupied the gourds last year) up and settled in the gourds the same day. As of today all 8 gourds are occupied, apart from the 1st 2 by SY birds.
I gourds are not popular in your area the chance of them working to your advantage will be greatly diminished.
-
Carlton
- Posts: 1959
- Joined: Tue May 17, 2005 6:42 pm
- Location: Florida/Deerfield Beach
- Martin Colony History: I moved to South Florida, from Delaware, in August of 2015.
I care for a 6 condo Sunset House as well as two Deluxe Gourd Racks, with 24 Chirpynest/Excluder gourds, along a canal in Pompano Beach, Florida.
At Quiet Waters Park, nearby in Deerfield Beach, I care for a Deluxe Gourd Rack with 12 TVG's. I also care for a Deluxe Gourd rack with 12 Excluder gourds with Modified Excluder entrances. I am substituting 6 Chirpynest boxes for 6 of the Conley II entranced gourds in 2026.
At another local park, Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek, I care for a Trendsetter 12, 5 gourds rack with 60 Excluder gourds with Modified Excluder Entrances and 1 Deluxe Gourd Rack with 12 Troyer Vertical Gourds with Starling Stoppers over the Conley II's to keep out smaller starlings.
I have only had one pair of martins to nest and that is this year in a modified Trio Grandma but I do have 16 gourds on two nearby racks. I have had a lot of SY's LOOK and go into the gourds but none have yet nested. I have noticed that they seem to prefer, by far, the Troyer Horizontals. I also found that the HS preferred them! Luckily, I had the Trio Grandma nearby with the HIGHLY effective Spar o Trap as well as a good cage trap baited with parts of a HS nest. I am still hoping for some SY's to nest just as you are in Virginia.
I have the crescent shaped entrances. The SY's seem to be able to enter after looking FOREVER into the neck of the gourd!
Good luck!
I have the crescent shaped entrances. The SY's seem to be able to enter after looking FOREVER into the neck of the gourd!
Good luck!
Thanks for some much appreciated input. I checked out a number of gourds that were suggested and wound up getting several different kinds. I got a Super Gourd, 2 Naturline Gourds, one with the oval SREH and one round, and I also got 2 SK double gourds. I'll let you know, down the road, if I have any luck with any of them.
cb