Purple Martin Conservation Association

www.purplemartin.org Tom Ridge Environmental Center (814) 833-7656 (phone) 301 Peninsula Dr., Suite 6 (814) 833-2451 (fax) Erie, PA 16505

The PMCA is an international tax-exempt, non-profit organization.

Our major mission is educating martin enthusiasts in the proper techniques for managing this human-dependent species.

* 2008 by Purple Martin Conservation Association. All Rights Reserved Purple Martin in Adult Plumage Gourds: the First Birdhouses Ferdinand Zimmerer colony Custer County, Nebraska Taken by Solomon D. Butcher in 1892

Ferdinand Zimmerer colony Adult Male (ASY-After Second Year)

Adult Female Adult Female (ASY-After Second Year) Subadult Male (SY-Second Year) Subadult Female (SY-Second Year) But — Before You Put Up Martin Housing

• Do you live in the martins’ breeding range?

• Do you have a good site location with open flyways?

• Are you willing to manage the housing?

• Are you insane?

Breeding Range

• Purple Martins breed in the Northern Hemisphere and winter in the Southern Hemisphere

P. s. hesperia

P. s. arboricola P. s. subis Choose a Wide Open Location Away from Trees Get involved with Martins Don’t Do It the Hard Way Avoid Unmanageable Housing Choose Manageable Housing

Look for housing that: • raises and lowers easily • offers easy access to compartments • has larger cavities (7” wide x 7” tall x 12” deep) with starling-resistant entrances

Some Examples of Manageable Housing

Any House Can be Modified & Improved Gourds Are a Good Choice

Pulley or winch- operated gourd rack

Use Gourds with Access Doors Conduct Weekly Nest Checks

• Keep written records

• Do daily walk-unders

• Participate in Project Martinwatch

Management Practices

Control Parasites through Nest Replacement

Supply Calcium & Grit Protect Martins from Predators; Use Pole Guards

Snakes, raccoons and squirrels can easily climb any unprotected pole Every Birdhouse Needs One

Netting Guard PVC Guard

Stovepipe Guard Protect Against Hawks & Owls Control Nonnative Nest-site Competitors

• House Sparrows and European Starlings destroy eggs, kill nestlings and sometimes kill adult Martins. Use Starling-Resistant Entrances

Snyder Excluder Crescent Practice Active Management Control Non-native Cavity Nesters

* All traps must be monitored to avoid harming native birds Martin Imposters

Tree Swallow

Barn Swallow Native Cavity Nester ID

Eastern Bluebird House Finch

Great Crested Flycatcher

Tree Swallow House Wren Louise C: Provide Housing for Tree Swallow in Native Cavity Nesters a gourd

The right location can host martins, swallows, bluebirds

and other native species

Bluebirds on a Peterson House First Arrivals, aka “Scouts”

• The “scouts,” or oldest martins, arrive first with the subadults arriving about 4-6 weeks later

Attraction & Monitoring Aids

Attraction Techniques Nest-checking Tools

PMCA Information A Martin Landlord’s Goal:

• Fledging Healthy Young

• Average Success Rate (egg to fledge success) is 50%

• In Good Years, 70 - 80% Success Rate Purple Martin Courtship Purple Martins don’t mate for life! Nest Building and Incubation

ASY male with Brood patch on green leaf a female

Incubation lasts 16 days Young may not hatch on same day How to Become a Martin Egghead

a,b,c,d : Purple Martin

c e : Tree Swallow a b

f : European Starling

g : Eastern Bluebird e g d f h : House Sparrow

i : House Wren h i

Nest Building House Sparrow Tree Swallow

Purple Martin Barn Swallow (view from above) Nestling Phase

• It takes 28 days to reach fledging age • Young then require 7-14 days of post-fledging care Martin’s Diet: • Martins eat only flying insects • They eat a wide variety of flying insects • Mosquitoes make up only 0-3% their diet! Food on the Fly Supplemental Feeding Saves Martins

• Try feeding after 3 days of cold or rainy weather • Offer crickets and mealworms with a slingshot • Transition to a platform feeder • Try scrambled eggs in an emergency Weather-stressed Martins Martin Roosts: One of Nature’s Most Spectacular Events Martin Roosts in North & South America Aerial Photo of Roost in Limeira, Brazil

City photo of martin roosts

Umstead Bridge, North Carolina Presque Isle, Pennsylvania Presque isle Doppler Radar Showing 11 Martin Roosts Around Louisville, KY

August 1, 2003 - Sunrise PMCA Color-banding Study Over 15,000 nestlings banded in 9 years. Interesting Nesting Locations

BP Gas Station in Trenton, TN Street Lights in Orlando FL Purple Martins Nesting under Spanish Roof Tiles Okeechobee, FL Bridge-nesting Purple Martins in Sacramento, CA Albinism Won’t You Give Us a Hand?

•Become a PMCA member

•Distribute PMCA information

•Participate in PMCA projects

Purple Martin Update

Membership Benefits

Published Quarterly

• The Purple Martin Update is the only publication in North America focused on providing landlords with current information and management techniques

The Update features: Attraction & Management Techniques; Shared Experiences; Spectacular Color Photography and How-to Articles PMCA’s Role in Conservation The Martins’ Future is in Our Hands

• Scientific Research • Public Outreach • Conservation Projects Conservation Projects

Cape May Point State Park, NJ •Public projects help increase awareness of Purple Martins • Why not sponsor a community Martin project in your town? • Schools offer good opportunities for combining education & conservation Martins Need Our Help to Thrive And This is…the End!

Thank you! Credits & Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the following for contributing photographs:

James R Hill III

Betty Aitken Patrick Kramer Bob Allnock Mike Kratz Cathy Brouse Steve Kroenke Mike Dingman Joe Marracini Alisa Esposito Joseph Melanson Dave Fouts Brian Naughton Ben Homola Barry Picard Jennifer Horan Jenny Rasmussen Nicole Janke Tim Shaheen Ken Kostka Jeff Wilson Stan Kostka Julie Zickefoose