Mud dam opinions

[C.C.Martins]

Thanks guys. I got excited yesterday, nest checks in a trio mini castle (enlarged compartments), mud was on the troyer porch on one. Thought I had a mud dam! Double checked to make sure, nope. Dont know where she got the material from but it was quite dirty.
Today, alot of the troyer horizontal gourds had quite elaborate nests; built up in front almost to the entrance, a nice slope up and down to the nest. ASY group in that rack. No subbies

Next year we'll be putting up a Lonestar Goliad in place of the trio mini, so perhaps.

[Birdiegirl]

I too find the topic so interesting! I'm a newer landlord, and offer a T-14, S&K barns- modified to larger compartments, and Bo 9 plastic gourds. All have SREH. Last year was year three for me, and we had 20 nests. Two of the nests had mud dams, both in the barns. One was in a compartment with the 90 turn, the other in a compartment that went straight back. The latter was an impressive construction- the dam was more like a castle wall all around the nest (even the back!). That female even brought in a couple of tiny freshwater mussels with the mud. Not sure if it was deliberate, but it was interesting. Nestbuilding has started this year- all ASY so far so I'll be curious to see what we get. I wonder if the building of mud dams is related to bird age (the more experienced birds use them) or perhaps to what sort of nest the chick fledged from? Fun topic!

[C.C.Martins]

Laura it IS interesting, I love their behaviors...i am intrigued by them, everything is for a reason, so experience or something learned? Funny right? The troyer vertical gourds are a straight shot to the nest, yet they all built up their little forts, no mud. Yet you experienced one with a 90 degree turn!