[TN-Bird] Re: purple martin nesting habits

    Carol this is just a guess but I feel the reason you are seeing Martin 
houses not being used is they are not being kept up properly. In driving 
around our area I see gourds and houses with no birds but they do not seem 
to be in good condition. I am also assuming many do not get cleaned out 
after each season.

    We have seen our Martin colonly grow here at The Honors golf course. 
Three years ago we started a second colony and it has grown considerably. We 
now have two colonies with at least 50 birds in each and this year's new 
badies are about to fly out any day now.

    We have three types of houses and all are used. We have natural gourds 
which seem to be the first taken in the spring. The disadvantage is they 
only last about three seasons before cracking and having to be replaced. We 
have some metal apartment type houses which perhaps are taken second. We 
also have the white plastic gourds with the Starling resistant holes. The 
birds seem to be a little slower to accept these but almost all of them have 
gotten used each year since we bought them. In the long run they may be the 
best because Starling do not like them (though sometimes House Sparrows will 
use them) and they require the least maintenance. Nothing scientific but 
just some of my thoughts.

David Stone
Hamilton Co.
Ooltewah, Tn


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