I only want a T-14 house.
-
Phil Crutchfield
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Fri Feb 13, 2009 11:10 am
- Location: WV/Berkeley Springs
Will I be making a mistake at the beginning if I only want a T-14 house. I do not want to take care of any more Purple martins than what can live in the house. Will this be a problem for future martins coming back.
-
DornCounty
- Posts: 2169
- Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2012 3:58 pm
- Location: Rural SE Kansas
- Martin Colony History: .
.
Trio-Jedi
not sure of the question... there is no wrong house if it is of proper design and you take care of it.
2017 - Home & Public Colonies - 300 Cavities
I don't understand the question either? If you got t-14 and you have nesting PM's I don't see problem. As for housing, the only type housing I dislike are the thin metal types, (trio's styles). IMO they leak like bucket with the bottom out when it rains. even expanded Hot or cold depending on the weather. They retain moisture especially if you don't have raised flooring. I have also noticed they produce less clutches. Meaning average clutch per compartment is less than any other style housing. T-14, has big enough compartments, and if ventilated seems of control the heat/cold better and if built tight don't much moisture get to the nest compartment. As far as gourds IMO all gourds are great. I like double gourd and bovillas over single gourds due to the ability to hid the nest out of reach of predators reaching in. Just my opinion. Others may disagree.
The first housing to fill up at my site are the double gourds, bovilla's, T-14, and rest nest in the red barn, trio, blitz which may get 50% depending on the season. Or maybe the PMs in the double gourds just show up form last year earlier than the rest???
The first housing to fill up at my site are the double gourds, bovilla's, T-14, and rest nest in the red barn, trio, blitz which may get 50% depending on the season. Or maybe the PMs in the double gourds just show up form last year earlier than the rest???
-
Ed Svetich-WI
- Posts: 815
- Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2004 10:05 pm
- Location: Brooks, Wi (McGinnis Lake)
- Martin Colony History: 24 Super and Excluder Gourds on two gourd racks, all SREH. Full occupancy. My philosophy is to maximize fledge % with existing cavities rather than adding gourds to grow colony, thus providing opportunities for new colony expansion. Fledge over 100 nestlings yearly from 24 gourds. Band nestlings in cooperation with state university. 2019 Adendum: Reduced colony size to 12 gourds to focus on more intensive management regimen.
No, 14 cavities will be fine. Although adding 4 gourds below may increase your chances of attracting martins initially. I reduced the number of my cavities a couple years ago to 24 gourds. That is a number that I felt comfortable managing. I have had 23-24 pair each year.
If you manage your colony well, any excess martins will help populate other potential colonies looking for martins. Your plan sounds sensible to me.
Good luck.
Ed
If you manage your colony well, any excess martins will help populate other potential colonies looking for martins. Your plan sounds sensible to me.
Good luck.
Ed
I think what you are saying is you only want one house and are concerned that if that house fills up there will be more martins than you can house. The T-14 is a great house. If you have not attracted martins yet, it may help to add a couple of gourds underneath it to entice them. As far as the house filling up and having no more room: no matter how many houses you add, if your colony is successful you will eventually fill up. Only host as many as you are comfortable with. One house is all I can enjoyably maintain. The overflow will find some place else, even if they fight a little bit first.
I have heard that some martins prefer smaller colony's. It makes them feel safer because less attention from predators. And some martins prefer to be in bigger groups. I am not sure how small? To me 14 rooms is to small. But if you are trying to attract for the first time add gourds. And only manage what you can keep safe. Over all you should be able to have a small colony of martins that will stay.
2008 1 pair
2009 3 pair
2010 7 pair
2011 20 pair
2012 44 pair 280 eggs 210 fledged
2013 67 pair.
2014 67pair
2015-2022 67 pair
2009 3 pair
2010 7 pair
2011 20 pair
2012 44 pair 280 eggs 210 fledged
2013 67 pair.
2014 67pair
2015-2022 67 pair
-
MamaBruff
- Posts: 1466
- Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2013 12:21 pm
- Location: SW Missouri
- Martin Colony History: 2013-2016 Unsuccessful at starting a PM colony. Health problems.
Rehomed all my PM stuff. Good Luck and Best Wishes to All.
Better to have a well managed small colony that none at all! I don't think 14 compartments are too small, particularly if you are in an area that has other successful colonies in T-14s. My grandparents hosted Purple Martins for over 30 years in their 12 compartment "Grandpa" house. It never held 12 pair, but ALWAYS had Purple Martins. My Auntie Joan has an 8 compartment house, and has at least 2 pair every year, for many years. Perhaps in addition to good management, it's the location- proximity to other colonies close by vs out in the country with miles and miles between colonies...
BTW, if you change your mind, you can always expand!
BTW, if you change your mind, you can always expand!
~Mary B~
Lifelong PM Admirer and Nature Enthusiast.
Ruthless trapper of S&S year round.
2013-2016 Unsuccessful at starting a PM colony. Health problems.
Rehomed all my PM stuff. Good Luck and Best Wishes to All.
Lifelong PM Admirer and Nature Enthusiast.
Ruthless trapper of S&S year round.
2013-2016 Unsuccessful at starting a PM colony. Health problems.
Rehomed all my PM stuff. Good Luck and Best Wishes to All.
-
bwenger
- Posts: 1059
- Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2005 7:24 pm
- Location: Pennsylvania/Espyville/Pymatuning Reservoir Area
- Martin Colony History: Taking care of 11 active public colonies and trying to start two more in northwestern PA. Also attempting to restart another one in southwestern PA, in Collier Township's Hilltop Park. In 2017, not sure what happened but the ASY male returned and then a couple of weeks later he was gone. It could have been weather related. No other birds showed up. I had a starling nesting at the Public site that I had trouble getting rid of.
In 2018, we fledged 629 martins at all of the sites.
Phil,
There is no problem at all in just having a T14, or even a smaller house. I manage several sites that have T14's, two with Lonestar houses that have 12 cavities, one that has a 6 gourd rack and an 8 gourd rack. In some of these houses, especially the Lonestar houses, I only have 8 of the 12 cavities open. I am doing this to push pairs of martins to other locations.
Some landlords may not want to get larger colonies either due to noise that the martins make, or even due to some neighbors that may not see martins in the same light that we do.
I do agree with the other comment, having 4 gourds underneath the T14 may assist you in starting a colony sooner.
You can limit your housing at any level that you see fit. We're looking for good landlords who will take care of their colonies, and by you limiting yourself to a T14, you can start a colony and then help another landlord get their colony started with birds that move on due to your colony being full.
Bill
There is no problem at all in just having a T14, or even a smaller house. I manage several sites that have T14's, two with Lonestar houses that have 12 cavities, one that has a 6 gourd rack and an 8 gourd rack. In some of these houses, especially the Lonestar houses, I only have 8 of the 12 cavities open. I am doing this to push pairs of martins to other locations.
Some landlords may not want to get larger colonies either due to noise that the martins make, or even due to some neighbors that may not see martins in the same light that we do.
I do agree with the other comment, having 4 gourds underneath the T14 may assist you in starting a colony sooner.
You can limit your housing at any level that you see fit. We're looking for good landlords who will take care of their colonies, and by you limiting yourself to a T14, you can start a colony and then help another landlord get their colony started with birds that move on due to your colony being full.
Bill
-
jmeyer
- Posts: 68
- Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2011 2:29 pm
- Location: Columbia, MO
- Martin Colony History: First martins in 2008. Currently have housing for 36 pairs. Usually get about 28.
A single T-14 should be plenty if that is all you feel you can maintain. The only issue I see, and the reason a lot of people will recommend you have at least two separate housing units, is if one of the houses is damaged you may lose your entire colony. But if you have a second house, you lessen those odds.