What's in your gourd? 1 pic (Purple Martin)

18 years ago

This is what I found in my #1 Gourd today! Isn't he precious? He's one of the five chicks, and all are doing great. I'm doing their nest change tomorrow.

I just luuuuuuuvvvvvv my Purple Martins. (and my gold finches, woodpeckers, tree swallows, barn swallows, robins, chickadees, nuthatches, rose-breasted grossbeaks, house finches, doves, warblers, house wrens, etc...but not so much the red-tailed hawk that almost got a squirrel today! The red-tailed hawk missed the squirrel by a whisker. More on that later!

Hercules, hatched July 9. First egg laid in my new Larimore ND colony and the first chick hatched.

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Comments (9)

angela_nor_calif
18 years ago
Wow what a difference a week makes. How precious. I think it's so neat that you can pick them up too.
grammahony
18 years ago
Hew's getting his big boy feathers. I didn't hear mine very much at the river this weekend. And something got my Bluebird eggs. Grrrrrrrr......:(
Leslie
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Kathleen CA - I'm checking with some of the PMCA members to get all of the facts correct, but there are small numbers of Purple Martins in California. They nest differently though; where the martins in the eastern half of the country are human-imprinted and colony nesters, the ones that have moved to the west coast tend to nest in smaller, or solitary, groups and not near people. I know there were several larger colonies forming around Sacramento. The birds have discovered the drain pipes built in to some of the larger highway overpasses were excellent places to nest. They also nest in pilings and piers along the coast. I'll get back with you when I get more info. I don't know how far south they go. Socks/Kathleen CA - Yes; Wes has been a great help with the my Purple Martin hobby/obsession. When we moved from the base to the new/old house in Larimore in 2007, one of the very first things he did was to dig the 36" deep, 12" wide hole and set the ground stake in cement so it could cure and hold the pole before winter. The pole slips down 30" into the stake. This is the same set up I had on the base. We had a nearly-impossible-to-budge rope-and-pulley system until now. I don't know why it never worked correctly, but the manufacturer replaced the entire hub system with a new and improved one! Since it can hold two layers of eight gourds each, we bought a boat winch to "power" it. The system was easy to install on the old pole and it works beautifully. It would have taken me weeks to put together and install the winch, pulley and hub if I had to do it on my own. It would have involved blood, bruises, pain, and probably broken fingers. Wes had it all together in an hour or so. "I think I'll keep him!" There have been four Purple Martin "scout" sightings in North Dakota since April 11. Two in Mandan, and one each in Devils Lake and Coleharbor. I have three "martineering" friends in Grand Forks and Bismarck. They have not seen birds yet. Purple Martins are native American birds that migrate to and from Brazil each fall. They return in the spring to nest from Florida to north of Winnipeg. At one time they were in danger of extinction because of lack of properly monitored housing (the vast majority of the birds only nest in man-made housing) and predation by non-native European starlings and English house sparrows. Here is a link that might be useful: Purple Martin Conservation Association
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A forensic scientist could estimate how long the bird has been laying on the ground by examining the stage of the magots. In my opinion, the carcas has been there for at least 24 hrs. Since you did not see any injuries, this suggests the worst: The bird died of a quick acting disease, probably a virus. Our DNR has asked people to collect and turn in birds that have died from no apparent reason. They want them for lab tests. They are tracking a few diseases. There are some other causes: 1. Old age. 2. Not likely for a purple martin, but the bird may have struck a pole or other object and broke its neck while in flight. 3. Struck a vehicle on the street and made to your back yard before collasping. 4. Struck an aircraft and fell in your yard. 5. Was shot by a pellet gun. 6. Poisoned. 7. Got too drunk on fermented mulberries.
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Congratulations on your "grandbaby BBs," Lisa. Are the adults renesting? Yes, I make pre-nests in the gourds before I hang them in April. They are filled level to the bottom of the opening with wood shavings, pine needles, or chopped straw. The PMs don't care which. I add a scant teaspoon of Sevin dust and mix it into the top of the nesting material. When the adults arrive back from Brazil, tired, hungry, ragged, and often covered in mites, they go in their gourds, get comfy, and in a day or two the mites are gone. They also have more time to concentrate on feeding and building up to prime reproductive condition rather than trying to start nest building immediately. They will add sticks and mud dams to the nests, or not, to suit themselves. Some make elaborate nests, some barely add a leaf before laying eggs. They start adding green leaves right before laying eggs and continue to add them, at different rates, depending on each pair. When I do the nest change at 10-12 days after hatching I replace the nesting material, but don't add leaves. Some adults will add more leaves, some don't. Again! Congratulations on your blue birds. I'm having great success (thank the Lord!) with my Purple Martins but I can't seem to attract a bluebird for love or money. I have boxes up; I've read the blue bird association's, and others, info until I think I can recite it backwards, and I've seen blue birds the past two years...but still no takers. Someday! Here is a link that might be useful: Purple Martin Conservation Association
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Toni S
18 years ago
eww, that's one yugly baby (to me). A duck into a swan kinda story, I know. He looks HUGE in the picture. How long before he leaves the nest?
caroline94535
Original Author
18 years ago
He's really tiny, considering how much he has to grown in the next couple of weeks. His wings are open in this photo and they barely span the width of my palm.

They're 11 days old today; they should fledge around 28 days.
lisa11310
18 years ago
As an avid birdwatcher and Blue Bird nest box trail provider I would caution folks to NOT handle baby birds. Caroline seems to be an experianced Martin landlord and I am sure had good reason to take this baby out of the nest. I would not recomend anyone else do this. I only handle my baby Blues if there is a problem in the nest ( bugs, wet nest, etc). But it is the cutest darn thing Caroline! What a beak on that baby!
caroline94535
Original Author
18 years ago
Isn't it, Lisa! Don't you just want to kiss those yellow lips? I know I do! LOL (But I don't.)

No, I don't over-handle them, but Purple Martins, unlike many other native birds, have imprinted on humans from before the time of Columbus, and are not put off by human "assistance" when done in a calm and safe manor.

I lower the gourd rack nearly daily and check the nests...well "nest" this year. When the chicks are between 10-12 days old I remove them from the nest and put them in a basket lined with a towel. I loosely cover them. Then I quickly remove all the old nesting material, check it for parasites, and refill the gourd with clean wood shavings or pine needles. I add about 1/2 teaspoon of Sevin dust under the shavings, form a new nest cup toward the back of the gourd, and replace the chicks.

I have the materials all ready and can change out a nest in less than three minutes if it's not heavily invested with mites or blow fly larvae. Thankfully I've never experienced the latter and have had only minor out breaks of mites that were cured with a nest change and tiny sprinkle of Sevin.

I've had adult birds dash into the gourd before I was finished and wait for me to return their chicks. They swoop around and fuss at me, but they are not distressed at all.

By carefully monitoring their PMs, landlords will have higher fledge rates (The number of hatchlings that live to fly off on their own at 28 days of age.) It's all a numbers game with them; "every martin counts."

By offering larger, safer, dryer nest sites (such as gourds or large 7x7x12 wooden cavities)

...by offering pre-built nests to conserve the returning adults strength...

...by daily (or as often as possible) monitoring to head off any potential parasite or predator problems

There will be stronger adult birds to produce more eggs, and more viable eggs, with hatch and grow quickly into more strong and healthy martins.

The same holds true for our native blue birds, chickadees, nuthatches, and woodpeckers, and other cavity nesters that have been killed off at alarming rates, some (such as the blue bird to the point of near extinction) by the imported non-native European starling and English house sparrow.

Some birds will abandon their nests and young if they are interfered with. It's best to study the species, talk to experts, consulst the Audabon society and your local bird clubs, and do your best.

I'm happy to say that for the past four years I've had 100% fledge of all the PM eggs laid at my colony.

Even if you just offer a large plant saucer of fresh water daily, you're helping our native birds. They're a gift from Heaven, enjoy them.

I'll jump down from my "save the Purple Martin" (and all cavity nesters!) soap box now. LOL

Here is a link that might be useful: Purple Martin Conservation Association
acey
18 years ago
Such a purty birdie...look at those feathers coming out like quills! Good job on Hercules, Caroline!!!
lisa11310
18 years ago
You can stay on your soap box and I will join you!;) The nest that just fledged had some dead blowfly larve in it even though I gave it a complete check at day 13. I have never used Sevin but I will look into it. Thanks!
IndianaKat
18 years ago
Caroline.....I wish I had those little darlings in my gourds....but, all I got in mine are some mice....LOL. Hercules is adorable....and looks very, very healthy....Thanks for sharing him with us.....

~Kathy~

What's in your gourd? 1 pic (Purple Martin)

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angela_nor_calif

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What's in your gourd? 1 pic (Purple Martin)

Comments (9)

angela_nor_calif

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