CRESENT VS EXCLUDER
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Guest
I would like to know others experiences with cresent entrances and/or excluders. I have one house with cresent entrances and had plan to convert my other 3 houses to them before next season but I found one adult dead from wing entrapment in one of the cresent entrances and now I am not sure. We have a huge starling problem and it was great knowing that they couldn't raid and destroy at least one of our houses. I would welcome others thoughts and experiences concerning the cresent or excluder entrances.
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John Miller
- Posts: 4866
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 9:11 pm
- Location: St. Louis, MO
Hello
I've worried all season with crescents at a new site -- aluminum houses. (is that what you have?) First, I found martins will learn to use them -- when they are ready. However, on most openings I chose to make it a little easier on the birds. I used needle nose pliers to open them up 1/32 to no more than 1/16 across the bottom by bending in a tiny tab, so far with no starlings (infested area) getting in. These are on a modified Trio, one-fourth inch from the floor. I also pulled in a tiny tab at the corners. I think this may help keep martins from getting a wing caught. An even better preventive to wing entrapment may be to glue small blocks at either side of the cresent, on the inside. Then a martin hopefully can't get pressed up against it sideways in fighting, with a wing popping out.
Can't speak to excluders. You may want to look at the "modified excluders" or similar "WDC openings." Many folks think these are very effective at keeping starlings out while being easier for martins to navigate.
John Miller,
St. Louis, Mo.
I've worried all season with crescents at a new site -- aluminum houses. (is that what you have?) First, I found martins will learn to use them -- when they are ready. However, on most openings I chose to make it a little easier on the birds. I used needle nose pliers to open them up 1/32 to no more than 1/16 across the bottom by bending in a tiny tab, so far with no starlings (infested area) getting in. These are on a modified Trio, one-fourth inch from the floor. I also pulled in a tiny tab at the corners. I think this may help keep martins from getting a wing caught. An even better preventive to wing entrapment may be to glue small blocks at either side of the cresent, on the inside. Then a martin hopefully can't get pressed up against it sideways in fighting, with a wing popping out.
Can't speak to excluders. You may want to look at the "modified excluders" or similar "WDC openings." Many folks think these are very effective at keeping starlings out while being easier for martins to navigate.
John Miller,
St. Louis, Mo.
I have metal, plastic, and wooden houses. After having crescents for 4 years I went to most all WDC's this year. The reason I had two PM get hung up sideways in the crescents and die. I guess they were fighting Cause found one behind the dead one, luckily He was still alive and still in pretty good shape.
Nothing wrong with Excluders, probably the most restrictive entry hole around the PMs body presently being offered IMO. I have found that it takes them longer to learn how to get in them. Some arn't that aggressive and give up. But, if you have big starling problems this could be the answer and piece of mind while your at work, but a frigging nightmare watching them learning them. IMO the WDC's are easier for the martins to enter and learn. I had 80% WDC's this year and No starling was able to penatrate them so far.
Nothing wrong with Excluders, probably the most restrictive entry hole around the PMs body presently being offered IMO. I have found that it takes them longer to learn how to get in them. Some arn't that aggressive and give up. But, if you have big starling problems this could be the answer and piece of mind while your at work, but a frigging nightmare watching them learning them. IMO the WDC's are easier for the martins to enter and learn. I had 80% WDC's this year and No starling was able to penatrate them so far.
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Guest
IMO'S???? WDC'S??? All of my houses are older trio aluminum. You guys sound very handy. Unfortunately, I'm not (at all). But I'm making notes of all of your great suggestions.
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Guest
IMO'S???? WDC'S??? All of my houses are older trio aluminum. You guys sound very handy. Unfortunately, I'm not (at all). But I'm making notes of all of your great suggestions.
Check out this thread.
http://www.purplemartin.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=461
There is a photo of one, and a photo attachment to click on of the other.
http://www.purplemartin.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=461
There is a photo of one, and a photo attachment to click on of the other.
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Guest
jdsparks,
Another poster on this site has Excluder and WDC. He had a martin get hung up in the Excluder and die. He has had no problem with the WDC and I believe he is thinking of switching to all WDC for next year.
This is just a personal opinion but I think the large open area of the WDC at the top of the entry (further from the porch) makes it easier for the martins to peer inside the hole and want to enter. (the WDC has an opening 1 7/16" above the porch for the entire width of the entry) Also, the WDC is wide and has no corners for a bird to get stuck. Here is a pic of the WDC:
Another poster on this site has Excluder and WDC. He had a martin get hung up in the Excluder and die. He has had no problem with the WDC and I believe he is thinking of switching to all WDC for next year.
This is just a personal opinion but I think the large open area of the WDC at the top of the entry (further from the porch) makes it easier for the martins to peer inside the hole and want to enter. (the WDC has an opening 1 7/16" above the porch for the entire width of the entry) Also, the WDC is wide and has no corners for a bird to get stuck. Here is a pic of the WDC:
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Guest
Hi, my fellings on srehs may not be the most popular.Untill this year I had two T-14's with round holes and 12 natual gourds with round holes.I have never lost one nest to starlings or sparrows.I trap and shoot and keep a close eye on things especialy early in the season. The ones I don;t get seem to know it is not a safe place for them to nest. I built a new T-14 this year with WDC entrances. The martins took to them fine and had eight nest in my new house. Now some things I don;t like are that I noticied feathers rubed off the back of their necks.They also sit on the porches more insted of going into the compartments because it is such a stuggle to get in.This makes them more vulnurable to hawks,witch has been a problem this year.The young sit at the openings more to be fed.Not sure if this is a problem just a obsevation. In concusion they are not as fun for me to watch witch is part of why most of us do this.The srehs are great for people who can't shoot or trap and have there place but I think round holes are ok too if closely monitored.
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Guest
Curious why sitting on the porch more (where you can see them) is not as much fun as sitting inside (where you can't see them)? I probably misread your post so just wanting to clarify.
You are correct.....if you are able to be around the housing most all the time and monitor. then round holes will work fine.
You are correct.....if you are able to be around the housing most all the time and monitor. then round holes will work fine.
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Guest
Thanks so much to Matt, RC, John, Jack and all. The info is very much appreciated. If we could be home everyday and I was a better shot I might not have such a problem with Starlings. We have trapped an unbelievable number of sparrow (greater than 200). The one house with the cresent holes has been up 2 years and has been one of my most successful houses. The pm's seem to go to it first. I was sure that it was the way to go until I found the one trapped. Even if I had been there that day it would've been a problem since there were 2 nests with babies 22 days old. At this point I think I will go with something other than the cresents...I think.
p.s. If you are in the Muskogee, OK area, the roost is starting to gather. I went by tonight and there were hundreds!!
p.s. If you are in the Muskogee, OK area, the roost is starting to gather. I went by tonight and there were hundreds!!
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Guest
JD, Which ever entrances you finally decide on, they are very easy to install, especially on aluminum housing.
Jack, The main reason for martins hurting themselves while using sreh housing is the thickness and finish (no burrs, sharp edges etc)of the entrance. What are yours made of? I use both crescent and exluder cut out in 3/16 nylon : the birds slide in and out with no reluctance. I will be converting to Excluder2 or WDC for next year - I lost a martin(fighting - he trapped a male and a female in the compartment; the pair survived but abandened the compartment) stuck in an excluder this year .
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Jack, The main reason for martins hurting themselves while using sreh housing is the thickness and finish (no burrs, sharp edges etc)of the entrance. What are yours made of? I use both crescent and exluder cut out in 3/16 nylon : the birds slide in and out with no reluctance. I will be converting to Excluder2 or WDC for next year - I lost a martin(fighting - he trapped a male and a female in the compartment; the pair survived but abandened the compartment) stuck in an excluder this year .
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Guest
Jd, My post was edited to remove an invalid link. I was suggesting that you look at entrance plates available from many sources; apparently PMCA sells them also.
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Guest
Thanks stan,you may be right on the thickness.My houses are made out of 3/4'' ceder. I used a WDC entrance that I purchaced from the PMCA for my pattern. I used a router to cove around the openings and the wood thickness ends up being 3/8''. I then filed and sanded them and this did open them a little. Still slows them down a little which has cost the life of one martin that I saw, and maybe more.I still think they are a good thing for many colonies, but to do the job they need to do they may slow the martins just enough in a hawk attack to be fatal. However I will try some next year with just the nylon plates and see if it makes a difference.