The best approach is to keep the owl off the gourd in the first place.
Even with a cage around my Trendsetter, the GHO was able to still grab on and flush the martins out, but at least when they come out now, he can't grab them as they exit as Steve mentions.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8psDGf3Fg9M
And stable landing areas, just give him something to land on and terrorize the inhabitants. I was thinking about removing these perches from the housing so at least the martins don't have to stare out at the equivalent of Godzilla sitting outside their nest cavity!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzCkeNxc7uY
Troyer Horizontals and Owl Guards ???
-
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.
"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
2023 - 82 pair
2022 - 80 pair
2021 - 75 pair
2020 - 78 pair
2019 - 80 pair
http://kathyfreeze.blogspot.com
-
Steve Kroenke
- Posts: 4342
- Joined: Fri Nov 28, 2003 6:49 pm
- Location: Louisiana/Logansport
Kathy,
Huge owls can raid BOTH stationary and swinging gourds with ease and I did not say they could not raid a swinging gourd. I have seen owls that were unable to grab a swinging gourd at the entrance hole. But they can hang on BOTH stationary and swinging gourds with or without porches, but a porch does make it easier for any avian predator to reach the entrance hole and stay there.
If you can attached sufficiently long double prongs in front of your Troyer Horizontals/Verticals, these would probably keep most owls from reaching the gourd fronts. The key is keep the owl OFF the porch and not grabbing the entrance.
But as long as the owl can hear and see martins around your colony site, then he/she may continue to "visit". Owls hunt by both sound and sight.
Good luck!
Steve
Huge owls can raid BOTH stationary and swinging gourds with ease and I did not say they could not raid a swinging gourd. I have seen owls that were unable to grab a swinging gourd at the entrance hole. But they can hang on BOTH stationary and swinging gourds with or without porches, but a porch does make it easier for any avian predator to reach the entrance hole and stay there.
If you can attached sufficiently long double prongs in front of your Troyer Horizontals/Verticals, these would probably keep most owls from reaching the gourd fronts. The key is keep the owl OFF the porch and not grabbing the entrance.
But as long as the owl can hear and see martins around your colony site, then he/she may continue to "visit". Owls hunt by both sound and sight.
Good luck!
Steve
PMCA Member
300+ pairs of martins each season
300+ pairs of martins each season
-
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.
Steve, I totally agree with you - I have seen what you have described above in your first post first hand at my colony. I agree that he's hearing the martins inside the gourds / housing. He would even perch on top of my gourd rack and wait, then drop down, try to grab the gourds causing them to swing. He bumped some free-swinging TVGs and managed to catch one of the martins that flushed, and he attacked my Trendsetter (stationary) and flushed a few out too....
I think, overall, all we can really do is put up obstacles / barriers that slow him down and give the martins time to escape. Some will flush, others will not. I was actually surprised there were only 3 flush out of the house in the video above.
By the way, I am preparing myself to see martins flush out of gourds on my rack with the full cage, if he grabs it when trying to get to the gourds.
I think, overall, all we can really do is put up obstacles / barriers that slow him down and give the martins time to escape. Some will flush, others will not. I was actually surprised there were only 3 flush out of the house in the video above.
By the way, I am preparing myself to see martins flush out of gourds on my rack with the full cage, if he grabs it when trying to get to the gourds.
"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
2023 - 82 pair
2022 - 80 pair
2021 - 75 pair
2020 - 78 pair
2019 - 80 pair
http://kathyfreeze.blogspot.com
-
Darryl Holden
- Posts: 51
- Joined: Tue Dec 09, 2003 9:59 pm
- Location: Alabama/Meridianville
I do agree with Emil! I use no rockers on all my gourds. I believe that they don't prevent owls from spooking the martins at night from their gourds but they definitely help keep the martins stationery if the gourd is not bouncing all around!
I agree. I've settled on the idea that a stationary gourd is what I want for my colony. I intend to build a cage after I have birds coming here. I'm sure glad I bought a heavy duty pole....!!!Darryl Holden wrote:I do agree with Emil! I use no rockers on all my gourds. I believe that they don't prevent owls from spooking the martins at night from their gourds but they definitely help keep the martins stationery if the gourd is not bouncing all around!