|
|
Post by ozark on Mar 23, 2009 21:03:01 GMT -5
For many years we had Purple Martin houses up on our lawn and normally there would be from five to twenty pairs raising families. Then they begin to dwindle untll the past three years we have not had any use or houses. We only hear them a couple times a year and sometimes they circle our box but don't stay. I wonder if there is a shortage all over or if it is just local. If you know anything about this please respond Ozark
|
|
|
|
Post by raf on Mar 23, 2009 22:29:56 GMT -5
HMMM. That's perplexing. Is it something about your houses. I know they like lots of space around their houses. Do you have some trees that have grown and are now excroaching on those houses? Do you clean them out each year? I clean ours and usually find they're pretty infested with lice(I believe). Do you have any predator birds likely falcons who now inhabit the area? Lots of things might be the cause. Even a slight change in location might make them shy away. I put up some houses many years ago and for years lots of lookers but no takers. I moved the houses around in the yard and finally found the right combo and now they come back each year. I know that there are lots of martins in you part of the world and it seems strange that they abandoned houses that they used for years.
|
|
|
|
Post by ozark on Mar 25, 2009 9:42:49 GMT -5
Our martin box stands in the back yard and sometimes startlings try to build nests in it. By opening the bathroom window a few inches with the screen removed plinking them with the .177 pellet rifle is good sport. I have taken three or four in the last week. I slept late this morning and even before coffee had to listen to the Ozark Angel tell about her morning hunt.
Yeah, she got the window up, safety off and the crosshairs on the target and another startling bit the dust. I don't like her doing things like this when her husband could enjoy doing it without her help. Oh well, we have to put up with a lot just to keep harmony in the home.
|
|
|
|
Post by raf on Mar 25, 2009 10:02:45 GMT -5
Starlings could be another problem. We don't have many around here but house sparrows are a problem. they can build a nest in a day and they'll drive the martins away. They'll also try to move in while martins are there and will kill young martins or break the eggs and then build their nests right over top.
I too try to control the sparrows with the 177 pellets rifles.
|
|
|
|
Post by chuck41 on Mar 25, 2009 19:54:39 GMT -5
I saw a martin house today that must have been 40' up. How high do these things like? Also how early in the spring do you have to have the houses up to attract them in Arkansas? or do they breed all summer as well?
|
|
|
|
Post by ozark on Mar 25, 2009 20:03:16 GMT -5
They should be up now. Scouts have arrived here as early as the first of march. Scouts are males and arrive a few days ahead of the females. All winter in South America. The recommended height of boxes is about 12 to 15 feet. Should be in an open area with plenty of sun. Martins will tolerate town sparrows and once extablished will fight off most other birds including hawks. Something unusual is occuring in this immediate area. Several people are having problems attracting them the last few years. Ozark
|
|
|
|
Post by raf on Mar 25, 2009 21:30:36 GMT -5
My martin house is 17 feet off the ground. I don't expect to see any martins here until end of april or early may. I'm looking forward to their return. We enjoy their chirping, if that's the right term  . |
|
|
|
Post by edge on Mar 25, 2009 21:54:12 GMT -5
When were they painted last? If they are not nice and white they may not be enticing.
Also, if the shrubbery near the houses is allowed to get too tall, it effectively lowers the houses. In effect, the more open the area the lower the houses can be, and conversely as trees and plants grow up the houses need to be higher.
edge.
|
|
|
|
Post by ozark on Mar 26, 2009 9:11:39 GMT -5
Mine is only a couple years old (24 appartments). It is something other than the height, location or surrounding trees. They don't even come around to check it out and I see none on boxes in the general area of fifty miles. I think something happened during migration.
|
|
|
|
Post by raf on Mar 26, 2009 10:06:56 GMT -5
Something like a bad storm during their fall migration is a possibility. Also they are considered a nuisance in the areas where they winter because of the sheer numbers in a small area. I know from time to time some I had did not return. A takes a while before new ones move in. If you lose a female a male will find a new mate and bring her in but I don't think that happens the other way around. A couple of years ago I lost a female to a Merlin and it took the male about a week to find a new mate. I've lost males and the female just leaves.
|
|
|
|
Post by chuck41 on Mar 26, 2009 11:09:30 GMT -5
Something like a bad storm during their fall migration is a possibility. Also they are considered a nuisance in the areas where they winter because of the sheer numbers in a small area. I know from time to time some I had did not return. A takes a while before new ones move in. If you lose a female a male will find a new mate and bring her in but I don't think that happens the other way around. A couple of years ago I lost a female to a Merlin and it took the male about a week to find a new mate. I've lost males and the female just leaves. Hmmmmm. I wonder if that might explain something about human behavior? |
|
|
|
Post by raf on May 10, 2009 21:19:42 GMT -5
Here it is, May 10 and finally this afternoon the martins came back. Haven't seen any this year anywhere around the city. It's been a cold spring and trees that usually are leafed out or in bloom are still bare. But, it looks like spring is finally here when the martins come back.
|
|
|
|
Post by ozark on May 11, 2009 10:47:13 GMT -5
Yesterday I got a report that a box had twenty or thirty around it just 30 miles south of my location. Maybe a few will find our box. Two days ago I seen a pair circling high in the sky above our town. None around our box yet. I thin the startlings out with a pellet gun. Great sport but occasionally I put holes in our aluminum box.
|
|
|
|
Post by raf on May 11, 2009 22:22:38 GMT -5
Maybe that's your problem, the aluminum boxes. Was told a long time ago that they don't like aluminum and much prefer wood. They will use the aluminum if they don't have a choice. All the houses around here are wood. Have seen a few aluminum ones but they're always empty.
|
|
|
|
Post by ozark on May 11, 2009 22:35:15 GMT -5
We have used aluminum boxes successfully for many years. Exactly the same style. I would change but I doubt that is the problem. Ben
|
|
|
|
Post by raf on May 12, 2009 9:23:16 GMT -5
I'm sure you do this but just in case. I clean mine out each year after the martins leave. I was amazed by the number of lice or similar critters there were in the nest and the mess in there.
|
|
|
|
Post by raf on Aug 2, 2009 9:36:30 GMT -5
We only had one pair nest this year but they seem to have 6 or more babies which started coming out of the nest and flying yesterday. Suddenly we were bombarded with purple martins. Dozens of them are flying around, landing on the martin house and going in and out of all the other nest boxes. The resident pair seem to tolerate them except when they get too close to their nest box. It's neat to watch and it's sure noisy in the back yard.
In a week they'll be gone and headed south on their fall migration. Won't see them again until next May.
|
|
.
