Bird Man Mel talks Purple Martins and Houses

Рет қаралды 36,553

11 жыл бұрын

Spring is back and with it come the Purple Martins. In this video Bird Man Mel talks about how we keep our colony of 150+ Purple Martins happy and safe. He discusses feeding, predators, safety tips and general best practices for Purple Martins.

Пікірлер: 29

@user-zl9tz6re4t 4 ай бұрын

Great video

@BirdManMel 4 ай бұрын

Your welcome!

@drobb4207 5 жыл бұрын

Good job folks!!!

@sharadarai6021 2 жыл бұрын

Birds house are beautiful👍👌🙏❤🥰

@stusilveriii6876 8 жыл бұрын

Hey @Bird Man Mel where do u get ur heater from & what kind thanks from Indiana

@SongbirdEssentials 9 жыл бұрын

From our research and experience, lighting strikes to Purple Martin houses are rare but they do happen occasionally. The damage done to the houses can range from simple black burn marks on entrance and exit points to complete loss of housing.

@markcaruso815 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the video what kind of ground poles do you have? Not sure if I'm using the proper terminology. The poles that the gords hook to?

@sharonchrisco3221 7 жыл бұрын

I have had a real problem with house sparrows I had five eggs in one box then went back to check only had one they keep killing and building their nest on top of the purple martin nests

@bobabbitt4755 Жыл бұрын

Tell me what sparrow trap you use please.

@bobabbitt4755 Жыл бұрын

What did you feed them?

@sharonchrisco3221 11 жыл бұрын

I have a 2 purple martin houses and I had 2 family's in the front of my home I had lost all of my baby birds I not seen the Martins in the house just house sparrows which I have been pulling the nest out should I close the house I still have martin is the other house I live in Arkansas

@wagstail4804 9 жыл бұрын

How do the martin houses fare from lightning strikes?

@BirdManMel 11 жыл бұрын

You really need to trap, shoot or somehow kill the Sparrows; otherwise, they will continue to kill the Martins. - Mel

@Salmiyaguy1 3 жыл бұрын

I assume Starlings can be a problem too though they are likely too large for the nest holes. I am surprised the US has no coordinated program to eradicate them like Canada. out in BC there exists a robust program mostly designed to protect crops but the periphery aim is to protect native species. I believe they have trapped over 1 million starlings as of 2020. here's a link: www.grapegrowers.bc.ca/starling-control-program and here's a new story on them: globalnews.ca/news/3806896/starling-control-program-works-to-manage-invasive-birds-for-okanagan-farmers/#:~:text=Starling%20Control%20Program%20works%20to%20manage%20invasive%20birds%20for%20Okanagan%20farmers,-By%20Shelby%20Thom&text=They%20may%20look%20like%20harmless,while%20reducing%20native%20bird%20populations.

@nancyfahey7518 2 жыл бұрын

Do you have to live near water?

@meatdogg101 8 жыл бұрын

do they catch and eat horse flies

@SuperWoodyboy 7 жыл бұрын

Why so low...thought they had to be at least 12 feet high

@abdussyakur5887 4 жыл бұрын

Di indonesia apa bisa buat seperti itu

@nenacurtsinger3041 2 жыл бұрын

Are they dried meal worms

@JDKent-tz5of 5 жыл бұрын

What are you feeding them?

@BirdManMel 5 жыл бұрын

In this video we are feeding the Purple Martins mealworms. Mealworms are a great source of protein for the martins.

@JDKent-tz5of 5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for your replenish! I have a T-14 house I bought in Ohio. We are in Louisiana and I almost have a full house!

@BirdManMel 5 жыл бұрын

@@JDKent-tz5of That is good news! Take care of them, they sure are beautiful birds.

@SB-ic2kl 8 жыл бұрын

I have mixed feelings about feeding Martins during cold spells. I come at this not as a lame person, but do have a degree in Wildlife & Fishery sciences. This could be encouraging the gene pool of martins that return very early and lowering the ones that come later. Possibly in the future this could be setting them up for a big collapse. Without human feeding, yes a lot would die, but it would balance the gene pool of early & later returning Martins. The early arrivals would die, yes, this is natural selection. Just something to think about. I personally don't feed them. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, just something that needs to be thought about. Not just doing it because the "experts" say your suppose to.

@mike5556 8 жыл бұрын

+Shawn Batchelder I get you, Shawn. And from a biology and genetic standpoint, your comments is absolutely true.But most landlords can not stand a single preventable death in their colony. We are just wired like that because they have enough hardships that are manmade.