I've tried for years to get the PM's to my place. This year I added Gourds to a pole beside the house and a pair arrived followed by another in the spring. They never stayed all day and didn't nest. 1/2 day and then gone. Two weeks ago we got 8 inches of rain and they left the entire week. They came back for a couple of mornings this week, then gone again. I can't figure it out.
Thanks JC
Can Someone Help? Where did the Martins Go?
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Dave Duit
- Posts: 2145
- Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2003 2:02 pm
- Location: Iowa / Nevada
- Martin Colony History: In 2024, 82 pair with 350 fledged youngsters. 110 total cavities available, 82 Troyer Horizontal gourds and a homemade PVC / metal 28 compartment unit, 1 fallout shelter. Hawk and owl guards included. Martin educator and speaker. President and founder of the Iowa Purple Martin Organization. Please visit Iowa Purple Martin Organization on Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1627283871068161 Emails send to daveduit@yahoo.com. Subject line include Iowa Purple Martin.
HI James,
Your martins are probably second year martins, youngsters that are visiting your site. If there is another colony around your area, they may have chose that site, Martins that chose a site have strong site fidelity, meaning if they had a successful year the prior year, they will continue returning to that same site until the year they die. The good news is that you have had some lookers and will more than likely get martins to stay next year. Some landlords waits years before they get a pair to stay. So, the best thing to do is have patience, it will eventually happen for you. I suggest reading up and making any changes necessary to entice your first pair. Compartment sizes should be at least 6X6X12 inches, use starling resistant entrance holes, eliminate all sparrows and starlings that visit your housing, ensure wide open area around your martin houses ,(no tall trees close by) to discourage predators and make martins feel safe, smear a little mud around the exterior of the entrances to discolor; it makes it look as if there was a successful pair the year before which is an attractant to new visitors, offer crushed clean egg shells on a feeding platform nearby, play the dawnsong CD in the early morning. Sounds like a lot of preparation but it pays off in the long run. Best of luck my friend,
Your martins are probably second year martins, youngsters that are visiting your site. If there is another colony around your area, they may have chose that site, Martins that chose a site have strong site fidelity, meaning if they had a successful year the prior year, they will continue returning to that same site until the year they die. The good news is that you have had some lookers and will more than likely get martins to stay next year. Some landlords waits years before they get a pair to stay. So, the best thing to do is have patience, it will eventually happen for you. I suggest reading up and making any changes necessary to entice your first pair. Compartment sizes should be at least 6X6X12 inches, use starling resistant entrance holes, eliminate all sparrows and starlings that visit your housing, ensure wide open area around your martin houses ,(no tall trees close by) to discourage predators and make martins feel safe, smear a little mud around the exterior of the entrances to discolor; it makes it look as if there was a successful pair the year before which is an attractant to new visitors, offer crushed clean egg shells on a feeding platform nearby, play the dawnsong CD in the early morning. Sounds like a lot of preparation but it pays off in the long run. Best of luck my friend,
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Robert Anderson
- Posts: 32
- Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2018 9:22 am
- Location: Mt. Pleasant, IA
- Martin Colony History: 2018: 0 pair
2019: 0 pair
2020: 0 pair: 1 ASY male visitor
2021: 3 pair: 13 eggs
It took me 3 years to get a nesting pair. First 2 years with nary a visitor. Last year a single ASY male for one half day. Finally this year 3 nesting pairs, but with limited success, only the 3rd and finale nest with successful hatches, 5 for 5 The first 2 nests were both 0 for 4.
Only thing I can recommend is patience.
Only thing I can recommend is patience.
2018: 0 pair
2019: 0 pair
2020: 0 pair: 1 ASY male visitor
2021: 3 pair: 13 eggs
16 S&K Bo 9 double stacked gourds; 8 PMCA Excluder Gourds; 2 Trio metal houses converted from 12 units down to 6.
2019: 0 pair
2020: 0 pair: 1 ASY male visitor
2021: 3 pair: 13 eggs
16 S&K Bo 9 double stacked gourds; 8 PMCA Excluder Gourds; 2 Trio metal houses converted from 12 units down to 6.