OT Purple Martins

We have a martin house and in the past we have had a bunch of martins by now. I have been watching other peoples martin house's around our town and have not seen a single bird. By this time in past years I would have 15 - 20 pair. Is there something going on with them that I am unaware of. We live in Springfield MO.
 
They came into Alabama on time or maybe even a little early. Has something changed with your house maybe? A tree grown up over it or sparrows taking it over?
 

Gary,

How much rain have you had there and how wet are things? I have ground turn under from last spring just west of Collins that I need to disk up and plants food plots in and was curious about the soil conditions there.

Thanks

BJ

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I have fewer than half as many as usual in south Georgia. I wonder if there is a shortage of bugs seeing as how many fields are sprayed with weed killer and possibly the insects don't have any food. Mosquitoes are in plentiful supply however. My bug light seldom zaps anything and in past years it sounded like static it was so busy. I'd have to hose it off every day or two. No more. TDF
 
Tried to attract martins a few years back. Built and put up a nice house. At least I thought it was nice. Birds apparently didn't think so. Had it up for several years. Am told I need a nearby water source, lake, stream, pond, whatever. Nearest creek is about half a mile away.
 
I put up a purple martin house 3 years ago, nothing.

This year many small birds, not martins, have taken over the martin house. Not sure what the birds are. They almost look like sparrows, but they are small enough to get inside the martin house.

When I was working in the garden, next to the martin house, I thought I had something squeaking on the tractor. I got off the tractor and determined it was the birds yelling at me.

Any ideas what these birds are? No pics.
geo
 
South east Texas arrived on time, 4 houses full. They were building nests today. Trapped three Starlins yesterday. Starlins, hawks and sparrows will drive the martins away. Neighbor had a tree near his house and as it grew the martins quit using that house. After moving it away from the tree they started using it again. Funny finiky little birds.
 
If they look very similar to a sparrow but smaller, most likely a house finch. Male house finch has some red on breast and head. Female, kind of striped gray breast. We have a lot of them in Minn but they are quite recent, maybe 20 years or so. We also have a lot of goldfinch.
 
My dad built this on and put it up in early March,had scouts the following week. All but on box is occupied. I figured that's good for our first year. Old feller told us to put it close to water and above trees so they have a clear view. We put a sparrow trap out to help rid us of those and been shooting the starlings.
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Dad tried to get a couple pairs of Purple Martins every year for 30+ years. About all he ever got were sparrows, he had sparrow traps for every martin house.

Frankly, one BAT will eat more mosquito's in an evening than a pair of Martins. The 135 year old stone farm house we rented 25 years ago had bats, lots of bats, in the attic, you could go anywhere around the yard up to 500 feet away from the house and not be bothered by mosquitoes.
 
I had two metal houses up at last place and were almost full every year. then the electrician took the ovhd guy wire down that ran by them and numbers dropped. but still had some until a tree grew up by the pole. birds making a terrible racket and i found a black snake in the house. next year no birds. They like a place to land and look back at the house, and no tree close underneath. this year i have 5 pairs at new location. North East Kansas
 
pete,
I think you may be right, house finch.

I'll take a closer look with binoculars.

Do you think they many of them would live close together in a martin house?
geo
 
Mine were late this year. Friggin sparrows took over new gourds as fast as I could put them up. Martin numbers have declined here over the past several years. I noticed a drop after Katrina and Gustav.
 

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