Mockingbirds and Martins
I love it when the Martins start carrying in these giant sticks and things for their nests. Inevitably, they are unable to manuever most of the sticks through the crescents and they fall to the ground. The mockingbirds retrieve the sticks and use them to construct their nests. My husband loves that; he doesn't have to pick up the sticks before he mows
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Laverne
- Posts: 2216
- Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2004 1:58 pm
- Location: TX/Alvin
- Martin Colony History: Erected 1st house in 1997. Birds were checking it out before Mike got down from the ladder. Six cavities had a little colony 1st year. Grown to 88 cavities all gourds with near 100% occupancy. Most important factor for success is rain = bugs.
Our resident Mockingbird frequently sits on our nesting material tray and the winches mounted on our PM housing poles. They always snag some of the nesting material and later on they pick up dropped bugs that would be waste from the Purple Martin colony.
Our Martins and Mockers get along just fine.
Our Martins and Mockers get along just fine.
Sincerely,
Laverne
Laverne
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Jeff Robinson
- Posts: 908
- Joined: Mon May 04, 2009 3:32 pm
- Location: Rogersville, Missouri
- Martin Colony History: 2008 - Current
72 Cavities - 70 Pairs in 2021
PM Mentor
Same here with our resident Mockingbird. Until the martins show, he runs the yard, and marshalls all the birds around on the feeders and such....thus his nickname - Yard Marshall! He's so prominent and in charge of our yard, that my 24 yo son officially named him "Sarge!"
He chases every bird around the yard just for the heck of it I think, including the Bluebirds, but he gives the martins all the respect in the world. In early Spring, he he sits on the gourd racks, seemingly waiting for the martins. Once the martins arrive, he is rarely on their racks, but sits close and chatters constantly when the martins are happy and doing the same. He has the female martin's "purr" down almost perfect. I can walk or stand within 2 - 3 feet of him as he sits on the birdbath or shepherds hook, and he'll just sit there with complete trust. I haven't tried to reach out to him yet because I want him to maintain that trust. He and his girl nested and fledged 3 in a trumpet plant just 10 feet from where the wife and I sit and watch the martins. All in all - a pretty neat bird and a fixture in our humble home Audobon society.
He chases every bird around the yard just for the heck of it I think, including the Bluebirds, but he gives the martins all the respect in the world. In early Spring, he he sits on the gourd racks, seemingly waiting for the martins. Once the martins arrive, he is rarely on their racks, but sits close and chatters constantly when the martins are happy and doing the same. He has the female martin's "purr" down almost perfect. I can walk or stand within 2 - 3 feet of him as he sits on the birdbath or shepherds hook, and he'll just sit there with complete trust. I haven't tried to reach out to him yet because I want him to maintain that trust. He and his girl nested and fledged 3 in a trumpet plant just 10 feet from where the wife and I sit and watch the martins. All in all - a pretty neat bird and a fixture in our humble home Audobon society.
PMCA Member - Bedrock Colony
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Craig Dyer
- Posts: 500
- Joined: Fri May 13, 2005 2:24 pm
- Location: Nevada, TX
- Martin Colony History: Area is rural. Offer 28 compartments...metal housing (Lonestar Goliad) & Supergourds all w/crescent entrance holes. Purple martins are abundant here and eager for quality, well maintained, safe housing. Expect near 100% occupancy this season.
I too get a big kick out of the resident mocking birds. They are real characters. There was one last season that had the male house sparrow's song down pat. He fooled me and sent me scrambling for my pellet rifle more than once. Sometimes the mockers sing all night long...when do they sleep? I know when my martin season has officially ended...the mockingbird reclaims his perch on top of the martin housing.
Craig Dyer
We had one last year that mimicked a red tail hawk. I think he got a big kick of freaking everyone out, me included. I'd stroll around the whole yard looking for that hawk. I finally saw the mockingbird making that call.
The mockingbirds are way too fond of my ripe tomatoes A couple of years ago, I had a mama mocker running up and down the rows with two fledglings, apparently teaching them how to find the ripe ones. I usually grow enough to share and intentionally leave a bunch of the cherry 'maters for the creatures.
The mockingbirds are way too fond of my ripe tomatoes
A couple of years ago, I had a mama mocker running up and down the rows with two fledglings, apparently teaching them how to find the ripe ones. I usually grow enough to share and intentionally leave a bunch of the cherry 'maters for the creatures.-
dsonyay
- Posts: 1677
- Joined: Fri Jul 02, 2010 3:10 pm
- Location: Louisiana/Broussard
- Martin Colony History: 2010-2014 located in Slidell LA. Gourd rack with 16 gourds. Max of 2 pairs during this short period in Slidell. Plenty of fledglings.
2014-present.. moved to Broussard LA. Same Gourd Rack but added a 6 room house (modified from a 12 room)
2020: after a long drought of nothing, 4 pairs and 4 nests, 23 eggs total.
6 fledges.
2021: 9 pair, 47 eggs
36 hatchlings
30 fledged
2022: about 12 pairs.. many eggs, all fledged.. only had one hatchling die.. probably because of our schnauzer. :(
2023: 16 pairs. So far about 60 chicks with about a dozen eggs to go.
2024: 13 pair. About 60 eggs
2025: 14 pairs .. 69 eggs.
My mockingbird can mimic one of the martins calls. Really cool! It makes me look straight up ....
I think he or she does that just to mess with me
I think he or she does that just to mess with me
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Carlton
- Posts: 1959
- Joined: Tue May 17, 2005 6:42 pm
- Location: Florida/Deerfield Beach
- Martin Colony History: I moved to South Florida, from Delaware, in August of 2015.
I care for a 6 condo Sunset House as well as two Deluxe Gourd Racks, with 24 Chirpynest/Excluder gourds, along a canal in Pompano Beach, Florida.
At Quiet Waters Park, nearby in Deerfield Beach, I care for a Deluxe Gourd Rack with 12 TVG's. I also care for a Deluxe Gourd rack with 12 Excluder gourds with Modified Excluder entrances. I am substituting 6 Chirpynest boxes for 6 of the Conley II entranced gourds in 2026.
At another local park, Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek, I care for a Trendsetter 12, 5 gourds rack with 60 Excluder gourds with Modified Excluder Entrances and 1 Deluxe Gourd Rack with 12 Troyer Vertical Gourds with Starling Stoppers over the Conley II's to keep out smaller starlings.
I have a mockingbird nest almost under one of my gourd racks inside of a low, clipped Japanese Black Pine tree. They and the mockingbirds just seem to ignore each other.
I lowered my gourd racks about three feet when the storms approached but thank goodness we were spared the predicted hail and heavy rain. We did get high winds and I was glad I lowered the gourds a few feet. My martins did not seem to be bothered by the change.
I lowered my gourd racks about three feet when the storms approached but thank goodness we were spared the predicted hail and heavy rain. We did get high winds and I was glad I lowered the gourds a few feet. My martins did not seem to be bothered by the change.