<<<< ALWAYS CLICK ON THIS IMAGE TO ADVANCE TO THE NEXT SLIDE OR PHOTO

---

•  TS ~ BB ~ PM:  WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT A TRI-HABITATION?

• DISCUSSION OF MANY VARIABLES:
     • RECOGNIZED VARIABLES
     • SURPRISES AND NEW CONCEPTS:

• A PROTOCOL FOR MANAGING THINGS:

 

WHY A TRI-HABITATION? BENEFITS INCLUDE: Aesthetics DILUTION of prey population. Blue Birds and Swallows      do NOT compete for food supply The tree swallow provides       ACCURATE AND FAITHFUL             SENTINEL services!

THE SENTINEL SERVICES OF THE TREE SWALLOW ARE INVALUABLE! His alarm is PROMPT ...and SELDOM FALSE! HE IS TRULY A FEISTY AND FAITHFUL LITTLE POLICEMAN!

FURTHERMORE...

THE  TREE  SWALLOW  IS  A

BETTER  FLYER

THAN  THE  MARTIN  OR  THE  BLUE  BIRD

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

                              DISCUSSION OF VARIABLES:

RECOGNIZED IMPEDIMENTS TO ATTRACTING MARTINS

        (These apply to other species as well)

Relative population & geography of site

        Especially latitude!

        The issue of "displacement" via evolutionary process?

Competition for housing

Definition of "competition" vs. "interference."

BAD ADVICE!

                            DISCUSSION OF VARIABLES:

SURPRISES & NEW CONCEPTS:

TERRITORY SHRINKS as the season progresses
                                                        from nest selection to fledging.

EGG/CHICK DEFENSE operates in addition to territoriality.

BOTH FACTORS govern the birds' behavior
                 in the air space around a nest with eggs or chicks.

VISITING MARTINS HAVE VERY DIFFERENT personalities and agendas.
     "A martin is a martin is a martin" is NOT the right way to view them!

The process of  "FORCING" often requires a
                                      LANDLORD INDUCED SCARCITY  of housing!

..

 

^{WILL THEY WORK IT OUT ALL BY THEMSELVES?} 

		YES! If there is enough housing, the BLUE BIRDS AND TREE SWALLOWS will work out their own housing arrangements among themselves without violence.  There may be EVICTIONS, but no mortal combat or violence to eggs or chick murder.
		RARELY ! Spontaneous co-habitations are rare and seem to occur at sites which have MARTINS FIRST and a number of "CIRCUMSTANCES" HAPPEN TO BE FAVORABLE.
		RARELY ! Spontaneous co-habitations are rare and seem to occur at sites which have MARTINS FIRST and a number of "CIRCUMSTANCES" HAPPEN TO BE FAVORABLE.

T H E R E F O R E ...
TO FACILITATE A CO-HABITATION INVOLVING MARTINS,
A PROTOCOL OF LANDLORD MANAGEMENT / INTERVENTION
HAS BEEN FOUND TO BE USEFUL IF NOT NECESSARY

---

A SUGGESTED PROTOCOL FOLLOWS

     T H E   A C T U A L  P R O T O C O L

 

ELSEWHERE ENTITLED TREE SWALLOW ~ PURPLE MARTIN AND BLUE BIRD ~ PURPLE MARTIN I N T E R F E R E N C E

If you live where there are lots of tree swallows and/or blue birds, and you've been UNSUCCESSFUL AT ATTRACTING PURPLE MARTINS... READ ON

 

THIS MAY  BE AN  EMERGENCY!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

THE BASIC PRINCIPLE IS:   The best agent(s) to protect your uninhabited prospective martin housing from tree swallows is "a committed pair" of tree swallows located 25 to 35 feet away!  The same is true for blue birds.

 

THE FOLLOWING FALSE AND INCORRECT ADVICE IS FREQUENTLY GIVEN.  Put out enough housing! Correct management does NOT consist of simply putting out enough housing for all the species at your site.  In fact an excess of housing or incorrectly configured housing will actually DETER your progress during step 3 below! Put out housing to DRAW THE TS and/or BB AWAY from your PM rig!  Correct management does NOT consist of "drawing" the TS or BB "AWAY" from you PM rig.  In fact, THE OPPOSITE IS TRUE.  This protocol's objective is to draw a pair of TS or BB TO a spot 25 to 40 feet away from your PM rig, where they will protect it from invasion by members of their own species. Let the birds "work it out!" Fat chance??? NO! ...SLIM CHANCE!  Success using this advice would require the LUCK of "the right martin" showing up at your site who would be determined enough to put up with the initial harrassment of the TS and/or BB and "take charge" at your site.  It is estimated that your percentages here would be in single digits or decimals.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

DAN'S RULES FOR MANAGEMENT OF TS OR BB PROBLEMS

RULE  ONE:   NEVER ALLOW A TREE SWALLOW OR BLUE BIRD TO NEST IN YOUR MARTIN HOUSING! RULE TWO:   NEVER DENY AN INVESTIGATING MARTIN ACCESS TO YOUR PM HOUSING! RULE THREE: RULE ONE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN RULE TWO!

These rules have been visualized as a teeter-totter over the past season by landlords using the "protocol" below.

The teeter totter is visualized as below: 
[Try to memorize it, as it might govern your actions for a significant period of time!]

NEVER ALLOW A TREE SWALLOW OR BLUE BIRD TO NEST IN YOUR PM HOUSING

_____________________      I

NEVER DENY AN INVESTIGATING MARTN ACCESS TO YOUR PM HOUSING

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

^{THE "PLAYERS" IN THE INTERFERENCE GAME}

Usually a TREE SWALLOW pair will prefer a gourd; but they have also been reported to compete with martins for "apartments style" housing.
A BLUE BIRD pair usually prefers a "box" or similar type housing... but may also choose a gourd!
IF YOU ALLOW TREE SWALLOWS OR BLUE BIRDS TO NEST IN YOUR PM HOUSING They will completely dominate your entire prospective martin rig, or site, and all the air space around it for at least 25 feet... and you will get NO MARTINS THIS YEAR!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

LEARN TO IDENTIFY THE SPECIES INVOLVED 
A LANDLORD'S ULTIMATE DREAM IS TO HAVE A TRIHABITATION OF ALL THREE SPECIES

The Eastern Blue bird	The Tree Swallow	Adult female purple martin

THE BASIC PRINCIPLE IS: The best agent(s) to protect your uninhabited prospective martin housing from tree swallows is "a committed pair" of tree swallows located 25 to 35 feet away!  The same is true for blue birds.

INITIAL ACTION  will depend on WHEN you discover that you have "interference"
                                                       at your site from tree swallows or blue birds [or both.]

• PRO-ACTIVE management occurs when a landlord identifies his problem before the arrival of the martins at the beginning of the season.  PROactive management of TS or BB interference will require the landlord to configure his PM site as in step two below.
• PRO-ACTIVE management is planned for during the winter and initiated PRIOR to the return of the tree swallows and/or the breeding season of the blue birds!  Configuring PROactively for TS and/or BB interference gains the landlord of an unestablished site AT LEAST A MONTH'S advantage over a landlord who discovers interference AFTER the return of the martins to his/her latitude.
• RE-ACTIVE management is required (usually in the "surprise" mode) because the discovery (or enlightment) that TS or PM interference is occuring (or has occurred) at your site.
RE-ACTIVE management occurs at whatever time an interference problem is first noticed.  Although, this sort of management is NOT DIFFICULT, it is often "stressful" because it is NOT planned for and often requires action unfamiliar to a rookie landlord and resources not on hand.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

COMMIT YOURSELF TO THE VISION OF A "PROTECTIVE CONFIGURATION."

This means you will be "forcing" a pair (of each) of the interfering species (BB and/or TS) into housing 25 to 35 feet from your PM housing.  With this geometry, the TS and/or BB (both fiercely territorial within their own species) will protect your PM cavities from invasion by any other members of their own species.

At these distances, the TS and/or BB will allow determined martins to visit and inspect your PM housing... even though there will be initial "squabbling" and SOME martins will not be determined enough to tolerate the squabbling (especially SY's who are shy by nature, and ASY's who are just exploring and not truly in "house hunting" mode.)

At closer distances (especially if actually nesting in a PM cavity or within 15 feet) both TS and BB behavior seems to be governed by BOTH territoriality AND offspring protection instincts... the combination of which causes their harrassment of PM visitors to be intolerable to all but the most determined and experienced of martins.

At farther distances, (35 to 100 feet) you will get only temporary protection for your PM rig because TS and BB territoriality is MAXIMAL early in the season.  However, the territory of both TS and BB shrinks progressively as the season goes on... and MIGHT shrink to 35 feet or even less when both parents are busy feeding chicks

THE GEOMETRY IS CRITICAL!  The assertions just above explain why.  Read them again if you have doubts about why the 25 to 35 foot rule is a "MUST" to follow.

IMMEDIATELY shut down your PM housing.

• This means lowering... or at least closing all PM compartment openings.
• In the case of gourds, it's even ideal to remove them and "hide" them in the garage or the basement... at least till you are sure there are martins in your area.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

     After closing your PM cavities,
              SET UP "ALTERNATIVE HOUSING" for your tree swallow and/or blue bird pair!
             This "designated housing" must be located about 25 to 35 feet from your main PM housing.

IF YOUR "PROBLEM" TS OR BB PAIR HAS ALREADY BUILT A NEST IN ONE OF YOUR GOURDS, carefully remove that gourd [without disturbing the nest] and locate it on a Shepherds hook or other device 25 to 35 feet from your main PM housing.

• IF YOUR "PROBLEM" TS OR BB PAIR IS NOT NESTING, Then use a gourd or blue bird house as the "alternative housing" and place that 25 to 35 feet from your main PM rig.

 
• IF YOU ARE DEALING WITH BOTH TS AND BB... OR THINK YOU MAY GET BOTH, you should configure for both.

MODIFY THE ENTRANCE HOLE (if needed) as time permits.  If  "sacrificing" a PM gourd... or using housing with an entrance larger than 1 1/2 inches, it is good to modify the entrance to 1 1/2 inches.  This size opening is perfect for both tree swallows and blue birds.   It will also make them starling proof.  Remember both BB and TS are much smaller birds than purple martins!

 

WHAT IF AN "EVICTION" or "INVASION" OCCURS...or some OTHER species claims one of your designated BB or TS houses?  Evictions and/or "surprise invasions" are common... especially by chickadees.  This is the simplest problem of all to deal with.  You simply add additional housing to your configuration to replace the "stolen" or "invaded" TS or BB house.  Try to maintain good distance (at least 15 feet) between the housing when you re-configure... and keep all the entrances faced so "everybody can see everybody."

 

'

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

THE PROTOCOL'S GEOMETRY

• THE FIRST ACTION: The closing of your PM cavities and providing the "designated housing" in the correct geometry is only the beginning of the process we are calling "FORCING."

• THE SECOND ACTION:  YOU MUST MAKE TS and/or BB HOUSING  SCARCE.over whatever territory you control.  This action is the most important chore of step three.  At this point, if you had a magic wand and a fast horse, you would ride throughout the entire kingdom and CLOSE ALL TS/BB HOUSING till you get YOUR TS or BB committed to their "designated housing."  This is the most-often-forgotten part of the protocol and failure to do this can cause serious delay or failure!  Remember that if there is LOTS of potential housing nearby for tree swallows and/or blue birds (gourds, boxes, and other cavities) there is NOTHING to keep your "designated housing" from being their LAST choice, when you want it to be their FIRST (ONLY) CHOICE.

 
• A SPECIAL "TRICK" FOR TREE SWALLOWS: ...

THE McKINNON FLASHER (shown at right.)  These are easy to make, and require only a piece of string and an all-white sour cream or cottage cheese lid or the like.  Using your best cub scout or brownie skills, trim the white piece from round to oblong to mimick the shape and size of the tree swallow breast and under belly.  Then hang it (well) above or below the entrance of your new "designated alternative TS dwelling" ...being sure to keep the string well away from the opening to avoid entanglement. These little charmers DO work!  It is assumed that they serve as a visual "stimulus" by mimicking the "in flight silouette" of a tree swallow as they blow in the breeze.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

ANOTHER REMINDER ABOUT "EVICTIONS" and "INVASIONS"

These will usualy occur during step 3.  If some OTHER species claims one of your designated BB or TS houses?  Evictions and/or "surprise invasions" are common... especially by chickadees. This is the simplest problem of all to deal with.  You simply add additional housing to your configuration to replace the "stolen" or "invaded" TS or BB house.  Try to maintain good distance (at least 15 feet) between the housing when you re-configure... and keep all the entrances faced so "everybody can see everybody."

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

IMPORTANT SPECIAL NOTICE: Earlier versions of this protocol "limped" because of inadequate research and experience to provide a set of "rules" for allowing landlords to allow ANY martins access to inspect the PM housing.  The present version presents a set of rules & guidelines which are thought to be valid based on three seasons of experience and research.  "Riding the Teeter-totter" is a metaphor created for implementing ("juggling") the rules to allow you to use attractants and actually allow martins access to your PM rig during the protocol. WANT TO "GO AFTER" THOSE RETURNING ASY MARTINS AT YOUR NEW SITE? READ ON... YOU MAY DO THAT... BUT FOLLOW THESE RULES!

THE CARDINAL RULE IN THE PROTOCOL REMAINS THE SAME:
THE "PROBLEM" TREE SWALLOW OR BLUE BIRD PAIR MUST BE COMMITTED TO THE NEW HOUSING before you should raise and open your PM housing again without monitoring.
The word "committed" ideally would mean their depositing of an egg in the new accommodations.  But, often there is not time to wait... and therefore most experts feel it will be "safe" to open the PM rig earlier... such as when nestbuilding is well along!   Later in this section there is a "scoresheet" for measuring TS committment. CLICK HERE or scroll down to see the "scoresheet."  But, regardless of when you decide to re-open the PM cavities, BE AWARE OF THE COROLLARY RULE:

THE COROLLARY RULE IS ALSO CRITICAL:
UNTIL YOUR "PROBLEM" TS OR BB PAIR COMMITS TO THEIR DESIGNATED HOUSING, NEVER TURN YOUR BACK ON THEM WITH YOUR PM CAVITIES OPEN. To do this would be to invite the disaster of a TS or BB invasion... and would probably ruin your chances of getting martins this year.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

• If you are NOT able to monitor your site closely, then you MUST allow rule one to govern your procedures.  This means you will need to keep your PM housing closed (and Dawnsong off) until your TS and/or BB are committed.
• If you CAN monitor your site closely, then you may engage in the "newly coined" process of "riding the teeter-totter.  This metaphor involves "juggling" the two principles on the ends of the teeter totter... stretching "rule one" to allow you to call in martins to investigate your site (even at the beginning of the season, in attempt to get "the priviledge" of an ASY martin visit.)

A "QUICK RELEASE" CAVITY OPENING SYSTEM FOR "RIDING THE TEETER-TOTTER WITH BB and/or TS

THE SUMMARY RULE FOR STEP 4:

• WHEN YOU CAN MONITOR YOUR SITE CLOSELY, you may "ride the teeter- totter and "juggle" the two key rules.  [A "quick release" cavity-opening system is useful for this phase of things.]
• WHEN YOU CAN NOT MONITOR YOUR SITE CLOSELY, then it is necessary to let "rule one" prevail as in prior versions of the protocol... and you will have to "wait it out" until your TS or BB are committed!

  ---

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Regardless of how (or when) you make the decision to re-open your PM housing and resume Dawnsong, WATCH CLOSELY for any sign that the TS or BB pair might resume their attempt to nest in your PM housing.  DO NOT BE CONFUSED BY THEIR PERCHING! They will continue to perch often on your PM pole and other rigging... especially if it is the highest thing around.  Most likely they developed the habit of perching there BEFORE you identified the "interference" problem in the first place... and you need NOT worry about this perching habit.  Just BE SURE THEY ARE NOT NESTING AGAIN IN YOUR PM HOUSING.  If they do, then you must quickly "revert" back to step three.  Once they are nest building in their "separate accommodations" they will usually continue to perch on your PM pole but will not show any interest in the gourds or housing... as by "inspecting" or entering the cavities anymore.

---

ANXIETY REDUCTION
There is no substitute for patience.  One must wait for Mother Nature during this protocol.  Haste will bring disaster!... which means that raising your PM rack too soon [BEFORE the TS or BB are committed to the new "alternative housing"] leaves your site vulnerable to the disaster of invasion by TS or BB with domination of your entire martin rig... and probably NO MARTINS this year!  It is reassuring, however, to remember that the waiting tends to be shorter as the season gets later.  By the time the SY martins are arriving, ALL BB and MOST tree swallows are quite ready to nest and will usually not keep you waiting long during step three. (above)

---

HOW AND WHY DOES IT WORK
In time, this emergency page will be replaced by a more complete article which will outline the characteristics and habits of tree swallows and martins and will better explain the IMMENSE BENEFITS of having both TS and PM at your site.  It will also better explain why the above protocol works.  For now, it must be enough to realize that once your TS or BB pair is nesting just 25 to 35 feet away from your PM rack, they will do an absolutely thorough job of "running off" all other members of their own species and many other species who would want to nest in your PM housing. [House Sparrows and Starlings, must still be eliminated by humans, of course.]  With the tree swallows near-by, your martins will be subjected to some mild to moderate harassment at first... but this is something that nature prepares them for. The noisy "squabble"that will happen when martins arrive at your site is a "battle" that martins can AND DO WIN!  The TS and BB may not "like it" ...but they do know the pecking order... which typically involves the martin pecking the TS or BB right in the face.  [This is not an exaggeration or metaphor... It is actually what you will see when a martin decides to "move in" on new site with TS or BB on hand.]  Within a very short time, the tree swallows and martins will get along fine... and often will even share perches.

 

A FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS section... and other additions and revisions to this protocol are underway.  Please keep a bookmark on this page (add it to your "favorites") if you are involved with TS or BB interference at an Unestablished purple martin site.

---

Please send corrections or recomendations to: Dan Drew
Please post "remarks" or "experiences" on the Purple Martin Forum.

---

Copyright, 2002: Daniel C. Drew, M.D.