SY Question

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Larry D
Posts: 18
Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2011 1:20 pm
Location: Texas/Weatherford
Martin Colony History: 4 years trying
2015 -- FINALLY!! One pair, 4 fledged. We took a 2 week vacation to Alaska in May and returned to find our first pair!!
2016 - - 2 pair, 6 fledged
2017 - - 3 pair, 5 fledged

Will the "subadults" return to the area where they fledged BEFORE they start looking for a new home? What keeps them from stopping at the first suitable stopover on their return? It seems like they would never get up north! :?:
Indiana_Tom
Posts: 288
Joined: Fri May 15, 2009 10:01 am
Location: Paragon, Indiana

Hey Larry D,

I am certianly no expert on this but I have read that a martin will return to the area where he/she fledged and almost all will nest within 50 miles of their original birth site.

I believe that info is in the archives somewhere.

Good luck this year
2009, 1 pair of SYs w/4 eggs - wait, no 4 babies and all 4 fledged. What a great experience.
2010, 2 ASY pair and 2 SY pair 18eggs / 14 fledged.
2011, 12 pair with 49 eggs, 43 fledged.
2012, 20 pair with 113 eggs as of 1 June
2013, 22 pair with 112 eggs as of 9 June
2014, 23 pair with 113 eggs
Tim Mangan-Kansas
Posts: 1728
Joined: Wed Mar 15, 2006 7:25 am
Location: Kansas, Pittsburg
Martin Colony History: 2016 - 22 Pair

Larry:

In 2008, I banded 127 nestlings at my colony, all of which fledged. In 2009, I observed only six of the 127 banded nestlings from 2008 return to their birth site. Of the six I observed, two stayed at my colony, nested and successfully fledged young.

If 40% of the 127 banded nestlings survived migration, there would be 50 banded nestlings returning as SY's in 2009. There is a strong site fidelity for martins to return to their nesting site where they successfully fledged young the previous year. As previous documentation has suggested, there does not appear to be a strong inherited trait for SY martins to return to their natal birth site.

Tim
Licensed Bander
2015 - 14 Pair - fledged 68
2014 - Moved to Kansas - 7 Pair, 35 eggs, 28 fledged in first year
2010 Thru 2013 - Moved-Tried to start new colony
2009 - 46 pair, 217 eggs, 178 fledged
KathyF
Posts: 3522
Joined: Thu May 24, 2007 1:57 pm
Location: Missouri/Licking
Martin Colony History: Colony started - 2007 with one pair
As of 2018 - 84 cavities offered, max # of pairs hosted - 82.

Hi Tim!! Haven't seen you on the forum for awhile - just sent you a message. :wink:

Larry,
I've read somewhere on this forum that only 10 - 12% of the surviving SY's return to their natal site. As Tim points out, it's the 'surviving' SY's. I've also read that about 60% of them survive... :-(

I guess I need to go find those sources again and bookmark them...it makes for really good reading. :wink:
"Sometimes", said Pooh, "the smallest things take up the most room in your heart."
2023 - 82 pair
2022 - 80 pair
2021 - 75 pair
2020 - 78 pair
2019 - 80 pair
http://kathyfreeze.blogspot.com
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