PURPLE MARTIN
PRESERVATION ALLIANCE
**** EMERGENCY COLD/POOR WEATHER SURVIVAL PAGE; HOW TO FEED STARVING MARTINS ****
PURPLE
MARTIN
PRESERVATION
ALLIANCE
****
EMERGENCY COLD/POOR WEATHER
SURVIVAL PAGE; HOW TO FEED STARVING MARTINS
****
 IDENTIFICATION
The Purple Martin (Progne
subis) is a large blue-black swallow (very dark glossy blue body with black
wings) that is best known for its habit of nesting colonially in large,
multi-compartmented houses or gourds. Martins are 7-8 inches long with a
wingspan of about 12 inches, and weigh close to 50 grams. They are
significantly larger than any of their better-known cousins, the Barn, Tree,
and Cliff Swallows, but this size difference is not apparent unless perched
next to one of these smaller species. Many other birds are commonly
mistaken for Purple Martins. Some of these species include
European
Starlings, Common Grackles, Tree Swallows, Barn Swallows, and Brown-headed
Cowbirds, (click on name to view photo). Keep in mind that Purple Martins rarely perch in
trees or land on the ground during the breeding season. Most of the time
they are perched on martin housing or telephone wires. Only adult males are
all purple. MORE ON MARTIN IDENTIFICATION |
 ATTRACTING
PURPLE MARTINS
Once common
throughout western Pennsylvania, martins have become scarce and difficult to
attract. Several factors are to blame. First, in June of 1972, Tropical
Storm Agnes stalled over Pennsylvania and dumped 7 inches of rain over the
course of six days, killing almost every Purple martin adult and nestling in
western PA. Since constant, heavy rain prevents flying insects from taking
flight, and since Purple Martins are "obligate aerial insectivores" - which
is a fancy way of saying that they eat only flying insects - all of the
Purple Martins starved to death during the continuous rains associated with
this 100 year weather event. 5 KEY
PRINCIPLES OF MARTIN ATTRACTION |
 MANAGEMENT BASICS
If you want to keep from losing the martins you've attracted and to create a
thriving colony site, you must adhere to 5 basic management rules: 1)
Prevent European Starlings and House Sparrows from nesting in your martin
housing. 2) Prevent martin predators (snakes, raccoons, and owls) from
gaining access to your martin housing. 3)
Control nest parasites. 4)
Train
your martins to eat crickets and mealworms. 5) Keep trees and
shrubs from encroaching on your martin housing.
THE 6 KEY MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES |
 COLONY
SITES IN PENNSYLVANIA Though Purple Martins can still be
considered scarce in Southwestern PA, things are looking up! For
several years, the PMPA has been managing many of the established colony
sites in the area. By improving the martin housing and
controlling European Starlings and House Sparrows, the martins have bred
much more successfully, which means that these sites are now acting as a
source of martins to start new colony sites. The PMPA is also managing a
variety of unestablished sites where it is attempting to attract martins.
To view individual photos and descriptions of colony sites in Pennsylvania, click
SITES. To see maps showing
colony locations, click on the MAP PAGES |
 BANDING PURPLE MARTINS
Since 2001, the PMPA has been banding hundreds of martins in order to study
such things as dispersal trends, housing preference, and longevity.
Ken Kostka, the PMPA's field biologist, is a federally licensed bird bander.
If you have a martin colony, and would be willing to have your nestlings
banded, please contact the PMPA at
info@purple-martin.org Also, please be on the lookout for banded
martins. Check out your birds' legs with a good pair of binoculars or
a spotting scope. Banded birds will have a band on each leg. For
more about Banding, click HERE. |
 MAPS
OF COLONY SITE LOCATIONS IN SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIACheck out the MAP INDEX to view the location of individual colony sites in Southwestern Pennsylvania, as well as the location of sites where we are attempting to establish colony sites. |
 EXCLUDER
ENTRANCE HOLES A HIT! The colony
site at Saxon Golf Course grew from 13 breeding pairs in 2002 to 23 breeding
pairs in 2003. During both years, 71% of the cavities were 11" deep
with Snyder Excluders and 29% were 6" deep with 2" round entrance holes. I am
very pleased with excluders and plan to go
to all
Excluders in 2004. To view breeding success information at this site, click
on the Nest Check Sheet 2002: House#1 orNest
Check Sheets Year 2003: House#1
House#2 Check out
nesting data summaries comparing the round
vs. excluder entrance holes. To read an article about the invention of the
Excluders, click HERE. To see a
video of a Purple Martin entering and exiting an excluder entrance hole,
click HERE. |
| VOLUNTEER! If you live in the Pittsburgh area and are interested in helping to manage one of only two known colony sites in Allegheny County, at Butler's Golf Course in Elizabeth, PA or at Youghiogheny Country Club near McKeesport, PA, please contact Jeff Hunt at 724-327-4269 |
 EMERGENCY
FEEDING TECHNIQUE: The
photograph at left depicts Purple Martins eating mealworms and crickets off
of a feeding platform. Thousands of martins died of weather-induced
starvation in June of 1972 in Western Pennsylvania when Hurricane Agnes
caused 1 week of constant rain, depriving the air of flying insects, the
Purple Martin's only source of natural food. Ken Kostka played a key role in developing an emergency feeding
technique that allowed martin "landlords" to save their martins from
starvation by offering them supplemental food! This technique has
been a major boon to martin conservation efforts, and has saved thousands of
Purple Martins since it was developed. For more information, and to
view a video clip of this technique in action, go to
http://purple-martin.org/Archives/cricketfeeding.htm |
| $ Please Consider Making a Donation $ to the Purple Martin Preservation Alliance. All donations are used to aid Purple Martin recovery efforts in Southwestern Pennsylvania, The PMPA directly manages 7 different active colony sites in a four county area of southwestern PA, including the only 2 colony sites in Allegheny County and the ONLY active site in Armstrong County, We have erected managed housing at 10 other sites in an attempt to attract martins. See our Map Page for more details. In addition, we advise and educate landlords at a number of established colony sites in the area. Send a check or money order to: Purple Martin Preservation Alliance (or "PMPA") and mail to PMPA, c/o Jeff Hunt, 176 Paradise Dr., Export, PA 15632. You may also make a donation with a credit card through Paypal by clicking on the DONATE button below. Thanks! |
Archives - Articles about Martins and Martin
Management
Western Purple Martins
E-MAIL info@purple-martin.org
for questions or comments about Purple Martins!
Many thanks to Glenn Davis for photographs used throughout this site.
HARRISON HILLS
BLUEBIRD BOX MONITORING SPREADSHEET (MS EXCEL REQUIRED)
A 2 SECOND VIDEO
CLIP OF A COMMON REDPOLL AT HARRISON HILLS (JAN 09, 2008)
LINKS:
PURPLE MARTIN PRODUCTS:
http://www.cuent.com
EXCLUDER GOURDS:
http://www.excludergourd.com
ENTRANCES BY SANDY:
http://www.entrancesbysandy.com
BIRDS' PARADISE (T-14's):
1-800-872-0103
EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA PURPLE MARTIN RECOVERY:
www.PurpleMartinRecovery.org
FRIENDS OF HARRISON HILLS
COUNTY PARK:
http://friendsofharrisonhills.org
