Martin Attack?

[B-Thrash]

This morning it seemed a PM was maybe stuck in an opening or being attacked on a porch, its wings fluttering about as if in distress! So I run out to the colony, with an extension pole to maybe assist. When I get there she's being ridden like a horse by another PM, so I slowly backed away to give them some privacy! I'd never seen them copulating before (nor seen photos) but seemed a bit rough. Guessing this is normal, right?

[C.C.Martins]

It may have been a martin in the entrance trying to keep an intruder out? Sometimes the ones in the cavity will grab the other birds legs, wings, tail feathers etc to dissuade them.
Good looking out and observation. If it were copulation, probably was, those can be violent events. Not too much we can do unless the female becomes grounded.

[birdman in buckhead]

HA Very good description of the event! Did they smoke a cig afterwards? LOL!

[flyin-lowe]

I’m guessing it’s more likely a stuck bird or a bird in distress than mating behavior. Many animals seem to “flip a switch” when they see an animal in distress. I have watched as a sparrow sits on a house and none of the martins acknowledge it’s there. Then I shoot the sparrow and they will mob it as it falls to the ground. I’ve also seen wing entrapped martins look like they are getting mobbed. It would be hard to say if the other martins are in attack mode or if they are trying to help…

[SSMartin]

I have witnessed plenty of forced copulations. Tends to be a sub male and ends up on the ground with 3-5 other martins seemingly trying to assist the female by knocking the eager male off. I have seen it during the heavy morning socializing. I have never seen this until this year, and wonder if this is more common in larger colonies.

I now take note when this happens because it is a perfect opportunity for a bird of prey to take advantage of the commotion and the birds on the ground.