SREH vs round

David W · Mon Apr 10, 2017 6:44 pm

I am having a dilemma, this year I have noticed a pair of starlings getting into one gourd that is facing away from my looking point, so I changed all the gourds facing away from me to SREH openings. This is the first year that I have used them. I had bought 12 SREH openings and 12 porches so I decided to use all 12. Now is see a pair of sparrows using one, and a few of the martins landing on the porches and not going in. I don't know whether to change some back to the round openings.
My first martins were 2 males and one female April 3 and now a week later I see around 12-14 martins and some are fighting over housing.
The starlings are smart, if they hear the door opening or see me they fly away so I think on a few I should leave the SREH. Any thoughts?

Archer · Mon Apr 10, 2017 8:46 pm

If you give it a few days, they should figure out the SREH, and then your starling problems are over. There are many testimony's on the forum of landlords changing to Sreh. If you scroll back a page or three, there was a recent post.

warbird · Mon Apr 10, 2017 9:20 pm

Yes sreh is my choice, pm's are just trying to figure out which cavity they want . It will work

Whippy · Tue Apr 11, 2017 8:56 am

I have 16 gourds and all of them began with SREH entrances without tunnels. I've converted 8 of the 16 to tunnels with SREH entrances. One day a week ago I noticed an ASY male struggling to get into one of my gourds with the tunnel and an SREH with wing entrapment guards so I changed two gourds from SREH to round holes. Over the next week they popped in and out of the round holes with ease however, as I observe today, gourds with the SREH are being chosen. The ones with the round holes are not chosen. I plan to change the others back to SREH's soon but, as it is now, I have not seen one sparrow or one starling anywhere close to my rack so I may give them some more time.

If they want in bad enough they will go in. I do not think the entrance will be a deciding factor on whether or not they stay wit one cavity or colony.

That's my $0.02

Coolwhips

ltwalsh · Tue Apr 11, 2017 9:10 am

I agree with the others and use all SREH. The sparrows still get in, but they are easier to deal with (

) than a starling getting in there and killing birds or eggs.

Years ago I had all round as I was starting my colony. Had my first pair settled in and saw a staring drive them away. Like you I went to this site asking for help and also like you everyone said go get SREH. Did it 10 years ave not looked back. The martins eventually figure them out.

John & Linda - KY · Tue Apr 11, 2017 11:01 am

Martins like round holes and will usually choose them over SREH's, it's easier for them to enter and exit. But starlings love round holes and will nest if you don't eliminate them. So the choice is either prepare to eliminate starlings or use SREH entrances. I have chosen the crescent entrances and have never had a starling be able to enter. Sparrows can enter any entrance a martin can enter. -- John

David W · Tue Apr 11, 2017 4:14 pm

Thanks to all that replied. I did change to SREH on the gourds facing away from my view point in the house. Today it seemed I had more martins arrive and by the looks of things all 24 gourds might be filled before any sub adults arrive early next month. The ones here now definitely like the round holes better and we will see how the SREH with the porches work.

BobbyG · Tue Apr 11, 2017 9:23 pm

I had a starling breach a sreh hole today I watched him he was having a lot of trouble but he was going in and out but once he got out and jumped to the top porch he fell dead to the ground. It was a small starling when I went and picked him up. I have watched a lot of them try and never sucede but every now and then they do get in but not to often maybe 2 or 3 a season out of 48 cavities.

Chris B · Wed Apr 12, 2017 1:25 pm

Good job and I assume you meant you shot the starling. That is the only way when one figures out how to get in/out of a SREH. They are smart and soon figure out we don't like them. And they will plum fill up a gourd with their trashy nest, and make mites.

Robbo · Wed Apr 12, 2017 1:45 pm

Use the SREH's . The Martin's have no problem.

John & Linda - KY · Wed Apr 12, 2017 2:03 pm

Warning! If a starling pair decide they want to nest in a round hole gourd they will kill the martin pair that's already there and take the gourd over unless you're watching closely and shoot it. -- John

flyin-lowe · Thu Apr 13, 2017 5:38 pm

I would be willing to bet that a lot more martins fledge now from SREH then round holes in areas with starlings. By the time they return they already no how to use them.