MARTINS several years ago. Made sure it was 15 feet in the air and not too far from a water fountain.
The only birds that have rented it out have been Starlings. Well low and behold this year there has been some Purple Martins coming to take over. They have been removing the nest material from the Starlings and there have been fights over the rooms. I was able to snap a shot of the male on the edge of the apartment house.
They do love to eat dragonflies, flies, stinkbugs, june bugs, moths, grasshoppers, cicadas, bees, wasps and flying ants. We do have a lot of wasps so thats a good thing.
PURPLE MARTINS are aerial insectivores and eat only flying insects and they catch them in flight. PURPLE MARTINS are daytime feeders-feed high in the sky-mosquitos mainly come out at night and usually stay low to the ground. You think we could have thought this out.
We are enjoying them coming to live in our yard.
Ann
19 comments:
Glad the purple martins have come to live there this year. Carver, ABC-Wed. Team
I've always wondered why the purple martins aren't in more places (geographically). I've never seen them here in NM. What a thrill it must be for you to have them come and live in the habitats you provided.
I would have thought the Purple Martins would like that house before now...after all it has 2 televisions!
At least they will keep the wasp population down for you.
lucky fellows...they have a ready apartment waiting for them.:p
I hope the purple martins win the home battle. They are very graceful and acrobatic as they fly.
I hope you will be able to get plenty of photos of the Purple Martins now they have moved in.
Nice story Ann! These birds look a bit like our blackbird, though I read that they are a kind of Swallows. Thanks for your contribution. Have a great week.
Wil, ABC Team.
I laughed at Photowannabe's comment, as that is exactly what I thought about those two antennae!
The power of advertising! STill the house is pretty, and there is some level of 'pest' control. Have a great week!
Here's to the Purple Martins, - hope they will stay with you.
Now you are going to have to buy a bat house too!
Jane x
I've never seen a Purple Martin, although they are in my part of the world (Vancouver) and I will continue to watch for them. Thanks for a fascinating post. Apartment buildings! Who knew?
Wish WE had a wasp-eating bird!
ROG, ABC Wednesday team
Nice to see the neighborhood is improving!
What a lovely home for the Purple Martins. I've always thought it would be fun and interesting to watch the birds come and go.
~Emily
The French Hutch
A very nice home, I'm glad they came to you!
Awesome place to perch!
Those starlings are taking over the foods we set out for the other birds at our place. That's a nice house!
P is for Pizzaroni
Rose, ABC Wednesday Team
Hi Ann on that fair garden in the wheel barrow. Yes I would love to make one of those if I can score an old wheel barrow around here. We don't have those purple martins and I love seeing them so beautiful.
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