I am told owls can take a toll on a Martin Colony. I would like information on Owl Guards as well as any links out there to sites and such please.
My owl hangs out on a snag at nightfall that is about 1200' away from where the new Martin House will be. I am told this distance is not enough to be ignored.
Would like information on Owl Guards for Martin Houses
Equilibrium
Jul 23, 2006
Equilibrium
Jul 23, 2006
Here was where I started with the Martin House-
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/619928/
This is why I am looking for information on Owl Guards.
Here is a link that includes many styles, even home made, custom owl guards:
http://www.google.com/u/pmca?q=owl+guard&sa=Google+Search
This message was edited Jul 23, 2006 8:36 AM
Equilibrium
Jul 23, 2006
Thank you,
I didn't know owls had a systemetized method by which they extracted Martins.
I like this link- http://www.purplemartin.org/forumarchives/archive/owl.htm
The photographs helped alot. I'll probably go with this style of Owl Guard and get it attached before we mount the Martin House on the pole. It will be much easier to work on while it is still on the ground-
Quoting:
Another approach is to completely enclose your houses in fencing, creating a prison or cage around the houses. However, to maximize anti-predator effectiveness, the fencing would need to extend out several inches from each side of the house rather than be flush up against the porches. If it is flush to porches, owls could still hang on the fencing, reach through it, and insert their long legs into the nest holes. Ideally, the fencing, when completely enclosing the house, should extend out about 6 inches from the porches. This way no owl could reach 6 inches through the fencing, then reach another 3 inches (width of the porches) to the hole entrance, and then reach even further into the compartment itself to pull out the martins.
I know this doesn't answer your question, but I find it ironically amusing that I put up an owl house to attract owls to my yard, while you are trying to protect your martins from owls.
(There are owls in my neighborhood, I hear them frequently and see them occaisionally.)
Will I regret putting up the owl house? I don't have any other bird houses, but I do have bird feeders and of course lots of plants that attract birds to my yard.
Equilibrium
Aug 01, 2006
He he he, I have no idea. A Martin House is all new to me.
I was told that sometimes a kestral(sp) will nest in an owl house. Both build their nests in the winter, so it will be a wait before I know if any one finds my house interesting.
I just hope the squirrels don't get into it...
Equil, My understanding is that you need to be able to get the house up and down to monitor and clean it out. I don't have martins though, I've just heard about the houses and seen the elaborate pullies and such to pull them up and down. I assume that you would be able to work on your house that way also.
As some of you know I have a website devoted to Purple Martins in Michigan.
I have a strong and close relationship with birds of prey. I love Martins and raptors. Owls and Hawks will take Martins. If you provide housing for raptors don’t provide Martin housing. If raptors get past your Owl guards and kill Martins that’s nature. It sucks, but that’s nature.
Bird feeders attract prey for Hawks and Owls. I enjoy watching nature do its thing. If you don’t want your feeder birds to be thinned out do not provide raptor habitat!
Equilibrium
Aug 09, 2006
I don't provide housing for raptors but I do have housing out there ready to go for Bluebirds, Wood Ducks, as well as for Woodpeckers. Some of the nest boxes have video cams in them that will connect to our tv. The cavity where the Screech Owls were nesting is plugged up right now because of the English House Sparrows. We must have quite a few old beach towels rammed in there and I've no intentions of opening that cavity up again any time soon.