Photos Of Purple Martins Using Troyer Gourds

[Steve Kroenke]

Photos Of Purple Martins Using Troyer Gourds

I use a bunch of Troyer Horizontal and Vertical Gourds in my current purple martin colony. These gourds have been well accepted by the martins and their shape provides significant horizontal depth to give more protection from avian predators like owls.

For the 2012 martin season I have 54 Troyer Verticals with tunnels/porches; 65 Troyer Horizontals with cling plates; and 108 Troyer Horizontals with tunnels/porches. I have these spread out on a variety of gourd racks and some are even attached to my four house systems.

Here are some photos showing martins using Troyer Gourds:

Three martins at a Troyer Horizontal with a cling plate



Female martin on porch of Troyer Vertical



Martins gathered around Troyer Horizontals with tunnels/porches at a 24 gourd Deluxe type system



Pair of martins on porch of Troyer Horizontal with tunnel/porch



Martins gathered around Troyer Horizontals with cling plates at a 24 gourd Super System



Martins gathered around Troyer Horizontals with cling plates at PMCA Deluxe rack


Martins gathered around Bob’s (my neighbor) 24 gourd Super System. Notice that Bob inverted the gourd crossbar mounting method so that the flat section faces downward. In this way, the martins have a much easier time perching on the rim rather than the flat slick top section. Bob did this several years ago when he first erected this system.



Steve

[LoneOakMartins]

WOW, to have so many martins! Beautiful.

[parkerdes]

I really am liking the Troyer gourds but aren't using any with round holes or cling plates. My site has only been occupied for a few years but I have visiting starling pairs every season before my martins return. I actually had a pair investigating my site this morning!!! So far they haven't checked into my traps yet!
How did you attach the Troyer gourds under your Nature House castle? I have one as well as a MSS-12 & would like to add gourds below them but the floors are too flimsy to add them directly.
Thanks, Lila

[Doug Martin - PA]

Steve,

I noticed you just have vent holes drilled (no elbows).

I had my horizontals (with conley II) begin to get used last year by a few pairs. I drilled small vent holes (only a 1/4 inch)

The nests were a little soupy or messy still from condensation. I was thinking of drilling larger holes or installing elbows.

What advice would you give for up in PA to properly vent them here? Still gets hot but gets cold here too.

I don't vent the Excluders and they stay pretty nice and dry.

[Steve Kroenke]

Hey LoneOakMartins,

I live in a purple martin RICH area! We have a huge martin population in northwest Louisiana and almost anyone can have a great colony if they take care of the martins.

I hope you have a wonderful martin season!

Steve

Hey Lila,

Those Troyer Horizontals are on a multi-purpose pole with two Trio M-12s. This system uses 4 gourd hanging rods that are inserted into a hub. So the gourds aren't attached to any house bottom. The hub slides up and down on a 2 inch square aluminum pole.

Troyer Horizontal gourds have a 3/8 inch diameter hanging hole in the upper back. If you could "beef up" the bottoms of your Trios with some kind of metal plate, then perhaps you could attach 3/8 inch diameter metal rods to it. Then you may be able to insert the Troyer Horizontals on the rods.

I like those Troyer gourds a lot! And so do the martins!

Good luck this season!

Steve

Hey Doug,

These are "older" photos from my martin colony. Most of my current Troyer Horizontals are vented with 2 PVC elbows inserted in holes where the little canopies are located in the upper back. The elbows are 3/4 inches in diameter. All my other Troyer Horizontals and Verticals are vented with either 1/4 inch or 3/8 inch diameter vent holes under the canopies.

I prefer the larger diameter PVC elbow approach because it allows for greater airflow and this may do a better job of venting out heat and humidity.

In the past I did not vent my Troyer Horizontals or any other plastic gourds and for the most part the martins did fine. However, I do believe it is much better to allow for some venting, particularly down in the Deep South where I live with our high temperatures and humidity.

I did have some of my Troyer Horizontals develop "humidity" issues inside the gourds before I vented them. The nests were almost wet and the feathers of the baby martins were nasty looking. When I would open an access door, it felt like a sauna inside the gourd! After venting the gourds, I haven't had this problem again with wet, nasty nests from heat/humidity.

So I would recommend either the PVC elbow approach or drilling vent holes under the canopies in Troyer Horizontal gourds.

I hope you have a great martin season.

Steve

[Allan Day]

I just vented my 24 Vertical Troyers, 20 horizontals and 12 excluders per your suggestions, the threaded 3/4 was the ticket. They look great. I also updated with the all new access caps. They look fantastic and I think it will help the humidity.

The new caps are fantastic. They go on very tightly and are much thicker. The liners are not needed. I think more light comes through my new vents than could possibly come from the lid. They are very thick.

[D'Nese]

Steve,
It's nice to see your colony after last years events. Please post new photos when you get a chance. I have just purchased my first official TVG's for our t14, 4 for underside and are adding another t14 to replace the "plastic" house that I started with. Will be adding 4 more gourds when it's done. My husband installed 3/4 in elbows that he "tapped" and screwed in? He thinks we won't have to put caulk on them....what do you think?
Thanks for all that you post here. I have learned volumes from your writings and don't know if I will ever use all of the info you've shared with us. Keep up the great work!!!

[Steve Kroenke]

Hey Allan,

Venting those Troyer Gourds is important, particularly in the Deep South with our heat and humidity. Having some airflow outlets in the upper gourd back/neck helps to dissipate built up heat/humidity. Using threaded PVC elbows makes it a lot easier and less messy to insert them! All mine use the caulk which is fine, but messy!

I did have some of my unvented Troyer Gourds turn almost into "saunas" one season and the poor martin nestlings were nasty looking inside their humid nests.

The new Troyer access caps are FINE products! They will block sunlight and resist UV damage. I will be replacing my old caps with the new Troyer caps on as needed basis. They fit all Troyer, Super and Excluder Gourds.

Good luck with your martin colony this season.

Steve

Hey D'Nese,

I plan to post some new 2012 photos when I get all my housing raised. And I will be sharing more photos as the martin season progresses.

The Troyer Verticals are fine gourds and the martins do well in them. I have a bunch!

I don't believe you need to caulk PVC elbows that are screwed into the plastic as long as you don't see any seam where water could seep in or notice the elbows appear to be loose. If you are concerned about it, you could put a bead of caulk around the perimeter of the elbow where it screws in just for insurance.

I am glad my postings have been helpful. I have learned a lot from other folks, too.

I hope you have a great martin season.

Steve