Hole too small or something else?

[ECAmartinfan]

We had a pair of adult Martins and a juvenile male show up for the first time mid summer last year. A local nesting Kingbird drove them away. Now there is an adult pair hanging around the house again. They are there in the mornings, sit on the house, they have chosen a south facing compartment and duck their heads in from time to time but never enter. I have a decoy set up and play the morning song but their visits are getting shorter and shorter. I see them occasionally during the day but not in the evenings. I cleaned the house this spring and installed Starling eliminator openings from this site but they never enter. Are the holes too small or what is the problem?

[dsonyay]

If you are using entrances from here (PMCA), I doubt they’re too small.

Just give it more time..it appears you’re establishing a new site, so you’re competing with established sites nearby.

Good luck and don’t give up

Ps. you can always go back to the original round opening on some of the other compartments… make it a choice. Just an idea

[flyin-lowe]

It is not unheard of for martins at a new site to "peak" into cavities when they first arrive, even with round holes. Have you seen them anymore since you posted this, and have they gone in yet. If they are still not going in let us know what entrance style you have and how they are mounted (how far from the bottom of the SREH to the porch). I know for crescent entrances the opening should be 1 3/16's at the top. I have never had factory SREH entrances that were not the correct size. Not saying it's never happened but I would say they just don't want to go in yet.

[Conrad Baker]

Try changing one or two of the openings back to round holes. If they start entering those, but refuse to enter the SREH, I think you found your answer.

[ECAmartinfan]

It's been two days now that I have not seen them so I think they have moved on. These are the "M" shaped Starling eliminator openings for sale on this site. I placed them as bought right against the bottom of the bird house floor. The landing area and the floor are at the same level. Should the floor in the compartments be lower than the landing area in front of the opening?

There are also far too many House Sparrows around here. They are also attempting to nest in this house. I have closed off 6 of the 12 openings, Two pairs of Sparrows are trying to nest in 2 of the bottom ones and the Martins seemed to prefer the south facing top one. I did not see any signs of physical conflict between them but have been trying to eliminate the Sparrows when the Martins are not watching.

Thanks for your replies!

[C.C.Martins]

Good keep after them! Iv shot sparrows right off gourds. Highly suggest you get rid of the sparrows. The conflicts can be highly visible as in fighting or more subtle as in the sparrow pecking eggs or just being there nesting or trying to.

Our satellite site has a pesky (not the right word for it) sparrow male. He was rebuffed many times by the martins but they were all on high alert guarding eggs and chicks. You could see the tension. In that case I can't shoot, have a nest box trap up. Thus far no sparrow nest.

They cannot coexist.

[ECAmartinfan]

Just posting an update. I have been trying to eliminate House Sparrows in the yard, I have disposed of about 13 but still a ways to go. The Martins gave up on the bird house (never saw them enter, just the male sticking his head in) and I no longer see them around it. They still come back every so often and hang around the yard. The male is definitely in adult plumage but is it possible that even though paired up they are still not breeding age? I do not know of any colonies for several miles around, the closest I am aware of is 14 miles from here. Could they be late breeders or be using a natural cavity close by?

[ECAmartinfan]

Another update here, the martin pair came back and spent 2 full days in the yard and around the bird house this time. I actually saw the female going in and out of two of the holes, one on the south and one of the west ones. Now they are gone again, this will be the third day they haven't shown up. I did not see any conflicts with other birds in the yard but could have missed it. We do have 2 pairs of barn swallows nesting here right now. Is that an issue? Any explanation for this seemingly erratic behavior would be appreciated.