WiFi towers

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sle62
Posts: 36
Joined: Wed May 03, 2023 6:09 pm
Location: Palm Beach County

This was briefly addressed in a post in April, 2024. I have been asked to help with adding Purple Martin Houses to WiFI towers in a high end MotorCoach resort in FL. They will have about 1 tower per 3 lots and they want them to be environmentally appealing. Would love to hear opinions and concerns from the Purple Martin experts. I have educated them on the importance of raising and lowering the houses for nest checks, being near water, how high, and how far from tress, etc. but I do not know if the Wifi signal might be a problem. On a previous post from this year in April, someone had a concern that this might have caused their Martins to leave, even with eggs present. Does anyone have some updated information if Wifi signals are interfering with the Martins?
Susan

Happy Purple Martin Landlord since 2021
PMCA Member
flyin-lowe
Posts: 3788
Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:49 am
Location: Indiana/Henry Co.

I would be more concerned about keeping predators from being able to reach the houses then the WIFI signal. Without seeing the specific tower its hard to say but a lot of them are designed in a way that a snake or other climbing predator could get right up them.
2026 HOSP 26
2025 62 pair HOSP 20
2024 60 pair, HOSP 44
2023 60+ pair, HOSP 8
2022 60 nests with 262 eggs, HOSP 14
2021 62 pair, HOSP 9
2020 42 nest, HOSP 8
2019- 31 pair
2018- 15 pair 49 fledged
2017 3 SY pair, 12 eggs , fledged 10. 4 additional lone SY's
2016 1 pair fledged 4
2015 Visitors
2014 Visitors
2013 Moved 6 miles, 1 pair fledged 2.
2012 30 pair fledged 100.
2011 12 pair 43 fledged.
2010 5 pair 14 fledged.
Bird Brain
Posts: 327
Joined: Wed Feb 10, 2016 9:22 am
Location: Highland Village, TX
Martin Colony History: 2022-visitors, 2023-visitors, 2024-1 pair, fledged 4, 2025-10 pair, fledged 42

Who's gonna kill the house sparrows? This hobby is impossible to advocate to anybody until the issue of killing house sparrows has been resolved. It's the first major obstacle for any new housing. Most people are just unwilling to do it. Martin colonies must be managed and defended. It's not a "set it and forget it" type of hobby. It requires effort.
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