[birdky] Purple Martins and Starling Resistant Entrances

In response to a question by Mr. Mark Bennett some time ago, I believe I
found an answer.  A forum member at the Purple Martin Conservation
Association website reported today that he changed all of the round
holes on his martin housing to starling resistant entrance holes (SREH).
He did this even after the martins had begun nest building etc., and all
the martins learned to enter the new entrances very quickly.  The
starlings are no longer an issue, although others responded that a
starling can enter if the porches are set too low below the SREH.
Apparently the porches need to be re-set to about 1/8th-inch below the
SREH.  A starling's legs are too long to push the body through at that
shallow depth and angle.

 

I have lots of purple martins fighting over and nest building in my 16
gourds.  I believe it is time to add another pole and increase gourd
numbers to 24.  It seems that many martin "landlords" to the south of
Kentucky are reporting lots of second-year martins showing up late.
There could be many more birds to come in May.

 

Scott Freidhof

Rowan County

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