My concrete form was poured so sooner or later the new Purple Martin House will be up in the air ready for occupants this coming spring.
I was poking around on the Internet and found this product-
http://www.stacksandstacks.com/html/beyond-roi.html?page=115194_songbird-purple-martin-magnet-bird-caller.htm&iorb=4764
I liek gadgets and such... if they work. Anyone have any idea if this might help me attract some tenants next spring? If it's a gimmick and it doesn't really work, just go ahead and say so as you'll save me money buying one to experiment.
Anyone have experience with Purple Martin Callers?
Equilibrium
Sep 15, 2006
Is this, perhaps .. what you were attempting to link to -?-
.. Jes lendin' a lil aid ..
Quoting:
SongBird Purple Martin Magnet - Bird Caller -- For any bird lover looking to attract more to your feeding stations and nest boxes this is the calling bird you need. This Songbird magnet calls beautiful and charming Eastern Bluebirds, Baltimore Orioles, House Wrens, House Finches, American Goldfinches ...
> http://www.stacksandstacks.com/html/115194_songbird-purple-martin-magne
- Magpye
Edited: to try to correct web-link
This message was edited Sep 15, 2006 8:58 PM
Great! The house has to be up by April 1st, so you have a while, yet.
You may like gadgets, but your family and neighbors may end up hating you! There are two "songs" that you need to "broadcast". The first is known as the Dawnsong and the other is Daytime Chatter. Most folks get a tape or CD and setup speakers somewhere near the housing. The Dawnsong is a recording of a mature male Purple Martin doing what he does to attract females to a colony. He gets up early to do his thing and that's when the Dawnsong works - of course. Early for male Martins is like 4:30 - 5:00 AM!!! So, you setup your tape player, or CD to start over when it hits the end and you either get a timer or get out of bed when the male Martins do and turn it on manually. The male Martins fly hundreds of feet up in the air to sing their Dawnsong. It helps to send the message as far as possible. Since you can't get your speakers up there you just adjust the volume to a level that broadcasts the Dawnsong as far as possible without violating your local noise ordinances, or driving your neighbors and family to the edge of insanity. Then, as the sun rises and people are getting up, the male Martins are finishing doing their thing and start hunting the bugs that are coming out. When the colony has finished breakfast they go about nest building and laying eggs, incubating . . . with intermittent foraging throughout the day. When they are hanging out around the housing they talk to each other. You get used to hearing Daytime Chatter after spending a few minutes around an active colony. The only other sound that I’ve heard Martins make is a distress call. If a Martin sees something headed toward the housing that he or she doesn’t like there is a distinctive call that sends everybody out of the compartments, off of the perches and into the air. So, after the sun is up you switch from the Dawnsong to Daytime Chatter. If the neighbors retaliate with loud RAP music I’d just give up on the tape or CD and put up some decoys (which you should do, anyway).
I’d join the PMCA before you do anything. The magazine is great and you get discounts on products. Here is a link to your CDs, tapes or Songbird Magnet:
http://shop.purplemartin.org/shopsite/purplem/dawnsong.html
Here is a link to the decoys:
http://shop.purplemartin.org/shopsite/purplem/decoy.html
Get a few decoys. They help to attract Martins and get a colony started and double as a Hawk deterrent. After a Hawk hits a plastic decoy a few times they are less likely to hit a real Martin if you are lucky enough to get that colony started.
Good luck!
Mark
Equilibrium
Sep 16, 2006
No Magpye, I wasn't trying to link to storage solutions for my closets. Looks as if that site has issues given my link won't work and your link is going to shoe racks and such.
Let's see if this link goes to a Purple Martin Magnet-
http://www.songbirdmagnet.com/
4:30-5am??? Way too early for me. Timers should take care of that though and the neighbors are too far away to be bothered so it's doable.
I've purchased from purplemartin.org before. I think I bought sparrow traps from them. I'd buy from them again. Thanks for mentioning them.
I'm sold on the decoys. I never knew they were out there and it appears they are multi functional. I love gadgets with dual purposes.
I am defintiely going with owl guards.
You are just such a good source of quality information! Thanks!
Mark, thanks for the info. I didn't know about predators and the decoys. I am hoping to have my martin house up in the spring. If not, definitely by the following year. Also thanks for mentioning joining PMCA. Just went and did that, so I'll be ready.
Equil, good luck with your new landlord status come spring!
gram ~a girl~