Martin Decoys

Littlebit45 · Fri Mar 19, 2010 12:14 pm

I finally got three pair last year...My site finally established. I bought decoys and used them. My question is now that I do have established site do I still use my decoys. I am still waiting and worrying about my 3 pairs cant wait to see them..Thanks to you all for taking care of them on there way.

James Strickland FL · Fri Mar 19, 2010 12:30 pm

Leave them up. If a hawk comes into the colony a lot of time they will go after the decoy and that will save your other birds or give them time to fly away.

Littlebit45 · Fri Mar 19, 2010 12:32 pm

thank you very much. I will defiantly leave them up.

KathyF · Fri Mar 19, 2010 4:04 pm

Yes, Littlebit - leave them up. Your colony stands a good chance of growing this year, and with that comes the attention of hawks. Your decoys will help save your martins.

Good luck this year - sounds like you're off to a great start!

Guest · Fri Mar 19, 2010 4:49 pm

Hey Littlebit,

My first year I put up decoys and my martins fought them like crazy. I finally took them down and was very skeptical of them. I have used them the last 2 years and am so glad I did. I have actually had hawks and owls break them completely off the perch. I have observed numerous hawk attacks on them that would have been my martins. You would be very wise to leave them up.

Littlebit45 · Fri Mar 19, 2010 10:47 pm

Thanks to you all. My mother in law lives 3 miles from me she called today and said her first martin came in and asked me if I had my house up...yes I do since last Sunday hopefully mine are on there way...Thanks again.

Davlyn · Sat Mar 20, 2010 8:29 pm

Hey , speaking of decoys I came home this afternoon and noticed one of my decoys and the rod he was perching on were GONE ! Thats right the decoy and rod were gone , I guess the hawk took them with him . I have looked everywhere in my yard and my neighbor's but no sign of either . So I would leave them and I am going to get more , I have three left . Best of luck with your martin's this season .

Jeff Robinson · Sat Mar 20, 2010 9:03 pm

Thanks to all on your insight. In my first year (2008), I had nothing but the Coates 8 house up with a decoy on top. I can't tell you the number of times I found that thing off kilter, and personally witnessed 2 hawk attacks on it. The first one from a Cooper's Hawk, where he came out of nowhere while Carol and I were standing only 20 yards away, and when he hit that decoy and it didn't give, the counteraction nearly took the hawk completely to the ground. The next attack was from a Sharp-shinned hawk, and although not as violent, it was enough to convince me how fast the hawks were and how they materialized almost out of nowhere. However, I was torn over whether the decoy was drawing more attacks, including nighttime owl interest, so I took it down....for that reason, plus some of the PMs were always buzzing and squawking at the decoy early in the season.

Now I "think" after hearing many differing stories and opinions, that it's better to suffer a few decoy losses and mad martins, than loosing a single PM to an undecoyed house.