Questions From Our Visitors

Q: Dear gazebo Phil, I have 2 questions. 1. How many years has Purple Martin Acres by the Sea been open? 2. How many chicks the first year? -- dick m., northbrook,IL

A: Purple Martin Acres by the Sea has been open for about 10 years now. It started as a small operation with two aluminum Purple Martin houses, each having about 12 cavities. All of them were not filled initially and there were some problems with House Sparrows, so there were only a few successful nests at first. Over time the numbers increased, the martins drove off any House Sparrows, and the housing grew to one gourd tree and now two.

Scott - Conservation Technician

Q: Hello my friends! Your doing a excellent job just thought i would drop a line and tell you I have notice one of my adult females has a silver leg band on her right foot my guess from your colony. The town of Barrington RI supports 51 pairs of Martins. I am sure i will find many more in the years that follow. I will try and have it read and infor sent to bird banding lab. Once again great job! Ray -- Raymond M., Barrington,RI

A: You have sharp eyes. However, a silver band is a federal United States Fish & Wildlife Service band that could come from anywhere in the country. Many locations band Purple Martins as we will be doing. It would be fantastic if you could read the number and send it to the bird banding lab. You may get a surprising answer as to its origin.

Scott - Conservation Technician

Q: I was watching Monday morning at about 9:45, when 1 of the parents picked up the baby bird and removed it from the gourd. One of our chatgroup members had named him Tim. -- holly j., lakeville,MN

A: Thank you for the information. As you can see the entire event was nature taking care of itself without any human intervention needed. For the most part we are only viewers like all of you. It may occasionally be upsetting, but this is the natural world in action.

Scott - Conservation Technician

Q: Dear Phil, We check the birds several times each day. Thank you for another year of wonder as we learn all about these magnificent creatures. Question #1: When the smallest chick passed the other night, did humans or parents remove it from the family nest? Question #2: For many days now, there appears to be an adult intruder that is always chased away by a parent. Today, July 5, 3:15, the intruder spent more time in the gourd and actually agressively pecked at the chicks, never feeding or caring for them at all. Finally, when the parent returned, the intruder was immediately chased away. What would explain this activity? -- Deborah F., Weston,CT

A: As mentioned in the previous question, it seems likely the mother removed the young bird as none of the humans did. The adult intruder you speak of is likely a bird fighting for some territory. Perhaps it is trying to stake out a claim for this successful gourd next spring. It may even believe it can come in and nest in there now. These sorts of disputes can go on all summer. As you also mentioned the parents will make sure these interlopers are chased away.

Scott - Conservation Technician

Q: I love watching the Martins. Have since nest building began, and this is my second year. Early this morning (1:00AM) I looked in and noticed what appeared to be one of the chicks lying in front of the gourd opening and it appeared to be dead. It was gone this morning and I only see 5 chicks now so perhaps maybe one of the parent birds removed it. I am sure you are aware of this and I will probably read about it tomorrow, since today is a holiday, but I thought I would write just in case. Thank You for a Great treat with these cameras. -- Barbara R., Milford,CT

A: Yes, unfortunately you and many other vigilant viewers were correct about the demise of the smallest Purple Martin chick. Thank you all very much for writing in. We have been monitoring the situation as always and wanted to get all of the facts before posting updates. With a clutch of six birds this can often happen. Having the remaining birds all survive would be fantastic in itself. You are also correct about one of the parents, likely the mother, removing the bird herself. None of us did.

Scott - Conservation Technician

Q: Hey Gazebo Phil, One question for you. There seems to be two larger chicks in the gourd. These larger chicks have their eyes already opened and are much more 'vocal' than the smaller ones. I also see that the smaller chicks eyes are not open yet. Will the younger/smaller chicks eventually catch up? Or are they considered the 'runts' of the nest. Will the be as strong and healthy eventually as the bigger brothers/sisters? -- kerri , Attleboro,MA

A: If you watch for long periods, you will see that all of the chicks have their eyes open by now. Some of them do not keep them open all of the time yet, though they will soon. There are definitely different "sizes", with two large chicks, two medium, and two small. We are so happy to see that all six have made it to this point in life as they approach 14 days old. The two smallest birds will have to keep getting all the food they can to catch up. Right now, it looks as if they are large and healthy enough. They should be able to make it to fledgling stage and become normal and strong Purple Martins.

Scott - Conservation Technician

Q: How can you tell the the male from the femal adult bird Ric -- Robert R., Esat Haven Ct.,USA

A: The best way to identify the gender is by their plumage. The male is a uniform purple/blue/black color. The female has a blue-ish back and is dingy gray-brown below. Sometimes it can be tough to tell but in the sunlight you should be able to see who mom and dad are. Try watching all of the other birds outside on the gourd poles to see them in full light.

Scott - Conservation Technician

Q: There was a scary incident in the gourd today. It appeared as though one of the chicks had a dragonfly stuck in it's throat. He seemed to finally get it down, and wiggled his way back to the chickpile we christened him "Hercules." Do you record what the camera sees for later review? I'm curious about the way the parent picked the chick off the chickpile and dropped him about halfway between the pile and the porthole. -- holly j., lakeville,MN

A: The parents will sometimes feed the young very large and intact insects. If it is ever too much for them to swallow mom or dad will take it back, even right out of their throat. We can imagine that particular moment was unsettling, but it probably looked worse than it was for the nestling. Maybe we will go back and review the video for that.

Scott - Conservation Technician

Q: Have you been able to determine exactly how many chicks are in the cam-gourd? I have seen 5, but sometimes I think I see a sixth. -- holly j., lakeville,MN

A: There are six growing Purple Martins in the cam gourd from the six eggs they had. Counting them can definitely be quite difficult right now!

Scott - Conservation Technician

Q: A headline says the chicks are 4 minutes old. Might you also note the date and hour of hatch so a viewer can make a calculated judgement of age relative to the live video when viewed? -- Dick ., Canaan,CT

A: Good idea, Dick. I will do this next time.

Gazebo Phil

Q: It is mesmerizing to watch and listen to the baby birdies and their parents. Very, very relaxing. I find my eyes at half mast while looking "inside the gourd." Thanks Gazebo Phil ! -- Maddi B., Centerville,USA

A: Isn't it? Thankfully, everything is going perfectly so far with our family of six. The only part that has not been relaxing is the constant rain and thunderstorms they have had to put up with. Cross your fingers for some sunny and warm weather to make things easier on Mom and Dad.

Scott - Conservation Technician

Q: We have between 50 to 60 pair of purple martins at our home and we have 2 feeders for them. I noticed that someone ask if you fed them anything and the reply was no. We've had martins for several years now and we always put out meal worms for them in the feeders and they love them. We already have a lot of babies and we have noticed them feeding them to the babies. I have several people in the office where I work watching the camera now and have gotten them interested in purple martins. A lot of people don't know anything about them and were really amazed being able to see them in the gourd. Great job!! -- Nancy G., Trinity,NC

A: We have heard of people feeding Purple Martins things like mealworms and even crickets. In most cases this is done during inclement weather when they are having difficultly finding food naturally. Here on the coast of Long Island Sound we have yet to encounter that problem, and our Purple Martins have more than enough to eat. Thanks for your story and all the extra hard work you put in to helping your Purple Martins.

Scott - Conservation Technician

Q: Question what is the average temp. in side the nest? -- Robert R., East Haven,CT

A: We cannot give you an exact answer as it varies with the temperature of the ambient air. Our gourds do help the Purple Martins by protecting them from some of the heat and sun or the occasional cold and windy day. The temperature is more stable because of their safe and cozy home.

Scott - Conservation Technician

Q: I am trying to establish a new colony...Ive had a lot of visitors especially one persistant young male....I've been using the Dawnsong, Decoys as well as daytime chatter....My CD player died in this heat...my question is this.....Is it to late in the season to attract martins to my site? And how long do I need to play the CD's? -- Hope D., Williamsburg ,VA

A: You may still be able to attract Purple Martins. At Stratford Point our gourds attracted two new pairs in the first week of June. One pair is even gathering nesting material. While they may not actually nest and it may be too late for areas further south like Virginia, it is always good to have gourds up all summer for returning or young birds to find. Perhaps they will use them next season.

Scott - Conservation Technician

Q: Dear Gazebo Phil, I have 3 questions. 1. How far do Purple Martins travel from the nest in search of food? 2. Do they always nest by water? 3. Do you have a total egg count at Martin Acres by the sea? -- d m., northbrook,IL

A: The distance Purple Martins travel from the nest in search of food varies by site because of local habitat. These Purple Martins do not go very far from home, though they can go quite high in the air, often 50 or 100 or even 150 meters up. They do not always need to nest by water. We do not have an egg count as of yet because we do not want to disturb the birds at this point of the breeding process. We will have a count of all of the young birds and adults when we work with the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection to band them. We will post this information for everyone then.

Scott - Conservation Technician

Q: So, Gazebo Phil, should we expect these eggs to hatch over a 5-day period ... in the order that they were laid? -- Terry R., Bristol,,CT

A: Our six eggs will likely hatch for a day or two starting near June 17. This should mean we see our eggs hatching relatively rapidly and you really need to keep an eye on things in about 10 days.

Scott - Conservation Technician

Q: I don't have any questions but i wuold like to say that it's amazing you put in so much effort for these amazing birds, and to entertain people i can't wait until the eggs hatch. -- Robert , ,CT

A: It is great to see so many people invested in watching these wondrous birds and it is our pleasure to deliver the live video to you. Thank you all for helping us keep an eye on egg laying, and please watch to see how many eggs we end up with. We should be watching them hatch in only a couple of weeks. June 17-19 should be a riveting time in the gourd.

Scott - Conservation Technician

Q: Dear Phil, How will we know when the Mother bird has laid all her eggs? How long does it take for her to be done? Thank you for all the wonderful care you give to the birds, and for letting us watch. -- Joyce T., Greenville,OH

A: The only way to be sure is to count the eggs. When we have a day where we see no new eggs, then the female is very likely done. It will take her one week at most. In this case we would expect her to be done laying eggs by June 8 at the latest.

Scott - Conservation Technician

Q: We are a First Grade Class @ Indian Trace Elem School. We have been watching. We can distinquish the male from the female. We are forming our (Hypothesis) Will the female lay her eggs all at once, or will she lay them over a period of time? -- First Grade Class I., Westin,FL

A: We are thrilled to have you watching with us. As you may have been able to see now that it has started, the female will lay one egg each day. She will end up with two to seven eggs. The total number of eggs will usually fall in between those numbers. She is making it tough for us at the moment since the eggs are covered by leaves (or her!), but this is keeping them warm and safe.

Scott - Conservation Technician

Q: No question, just a "Thank you". I printed some nice shots of your birds. They look healthy & happy. Do you feed them - or are they self-supporting! Again, "Thank you!" -- lorraine l., Phoenix,,AZ

A: Purple Martins are aerial insectivores. When you see them flying around the gourds, zooming through the air in and out of the camera's view, or flying over the edge of the water, they are feeding on various bugs. This can include moths, bees, various species of flies, butterflies, flying ants, and much more. All we do is provide a home for them to raise their families in. They feed themselves and their young this healthy insect diet.

Scott - Conservation Technician

Q: Uncle Phil we just put up a bird feeder in our backyard, and we love watching all the different kinds of birds. Thanks for sending us e-mails about the Purple Martins. We love watching the birds hatch(I wonder when they'll come!) -- T., Clarkston,USA

A: Fantastic! We should have eggs within a few days, around the end of May, and hatching in a few weeks, around the middle of June. Please help us keep an eye on things and report any sightings of eggs and, later on, hatching.

Scott - Conservation Technician

Q: Hi Mr Gazebo! We love the new gourd, that's quite a nest this couple is making. We wonder if it's possible (?) to rotate the tree pole so we can see the gourd opening. That would be great, if it's doable. -- Peg T., Freeport,ME

A: While we cannot rotate the gourd tree, as it is cemented in place, we are currently working on getting a better view inside the gourd. You may not be able to see the entire gourd hole from the outside, but you will be able to see any birds going in and out and all of the action in it. We wanted to ensure we were inside a great nest, and we accomplished that goal - it was so large we had to modify the gourd cam.

Scott - Conservation Technician

Q: Dear Phil" Each year your words and the good questions become more interesting. Thanks for sharing your birds with us! Keep up the good work.Lorraine -- lorraine l., Phoenix 85014,AZ

A: Gazebo Phil and all of the Purple Martins send along their thanks, Lorraine. Questions and comments from visitors and friends like you help make this unique live experience all the more fascinating. We encourage everyone to keep enjoying the action and contacting us.

Scott - Conservation Technician

Q: i saw a starling in the camera gourd just a short while ago. are they becoming more of a problem? -- holly j., lakeville,MN

A: We have not seen any starlings lately. They are a rare sight at the gourds, thankfully. The location directly on the water helps to discourage them from visiting. The occasional intruder will be swiftly dealt with by the martins at this point of the year.

Scott - Conservation Technician

Q: phil, is your placing of pine needles in the gourd a "welcome home" gesture or something that is necessary in attracting the birds? thanks, ken -- ken n., chicago,IL

A: Good question, Ken. While it is not necessary for nesting, it is indeed helpful in attracting the birds to nest in the gourd. It also helps to provide a bit of extra warmth for those birds that arrive here early in April during the still quite chilly nights. You may have seen some of them roosting together in the gourd with the camera for even more warmth.

Scott - Conservation Technician

Q: I am worried about the lean on the poles, I know its windy there & we are having awful weather on the cape I love the web site, thanks . -- Ron D., Mashpee,MA

A: We were worried, too, but fortunately once the wind stopped so did the lean. The poles were checked and any loose or turned gourds put back in to place. All is well once again at Martin Acres by the Sea. Thank you for your concern!

Scott - Conservation Technician

Q: is there a facebook page for gazebophil? -- holly j., lakeville,MN

A: There is now! Check it out at http://www.facebook.com/gazebophil

Scott - Conservation Technician

Q: Hi, Can you tell me about your setup? Who makes the pole system? What gourds do you use? What entrances do you use? Where did you purchase the poles and racks? thanks, David -- Slidell,LA

A: David: We use plastic SuperGourds on a gourd rack that includes a 2" square aluminum pole with a pulley system that makes it easy to raise and lower the gourd racks. At GazeboPhil, the gourds have a simple round hole as we don't have a starling problem here, but at other colonies we use a crescent-shaped entrance hole to discourage starlings. All of our equipment is availlable from the good folks at the Purple Martin Conservation Organization's catalog: http://purplemartin.org/shop/ Hope this helps. Miley

Q: dear GP, i noticed the martin houses down at montrose harbor here in chicago have the entrances blocked. is that to keep other birds from using the spaces. really enjoyed the video feed you provided. thanks, sparky -- Ken(Sparky) N., Chicago,IL

A: Sparky:

Thanks for your note. You are, indeed, correct. Where there is a problem with other species (starlings and house sparrows) taking over a martin colony, the owners will block the entrance holes until the martins arrive in numbers to defend their colony.

Thus far, we haven’t had that problem at GazeboPhil, but we’ll keep our fingers crossed!

Miley

Q: You'd mentioned in a previous post that you try to band the birds. Has this group been banded? The camera view of late is foggy. Could it be heat, steam, dirt cuz it's simply time to fly off? Thanks. -- Sheffield Village,OH

A: We will not be banding the martins this year. Next year we hope to have easy-to-read color bands in addition to the Federal bands that will help to identify state as well as colony birds. I think the increased size, number and activity of the birds in the nest has contributed to the haze on the camera lens. If it were earlier in the nesting cycle when the young martins were still tiny, we would have cleaned the lens, but it is way too late now. To do so now might cause premature fledging. We’ll have to squint for the last couple of days, sorry!

Q: wonder if the Purple Martins travel across the Gulf of Mexico on their way to South America? If so, could be trouble. What does Miley Bull say? wonder if the Purple Martins travel across the Gulf of Mexico on their way to South America? If so, could be trouble. What does Miley Bull say? Jim -- Jim , ,

A: Hi Jim: Yes! Large numbers of martins fly across the Gulf from Louisiana to the Yucatan. All my best, Miley

Q: Hey Uncle Phil: Chuck and Arlene want to know if you have a camera attached to each home. If not, how do you know how many residences are empty and how many chicks are actually in each house? Nicki -- Haubert,MI

A: Thanks Nicki! We regularly check the gourds for nesting activity and parasites (none yet!) by lowering the gourd racks. Conveniently, they are on a pulley system.

Q: What do you think about "three adult" Martins in the gourd at the same time? Saw it Saturday night and again on Sunday! -- Mechanicsville,VA

A: It may have been an “invading” male or a bird from last year’s clutch, we don’t know for sure.

Q: There was a commotion in the martin house a few minutes ago and now there are three adult birds, apparently bedding down for the night. Is this a takeover? Is this a visiting relative? Please explain... Thank you! -- Akron,OH

A: Our guess is a visiting bird from last year’s clutch.

Q: There was a commotion in the martin house a few minutes ago and now there are three adult birds, apparently bedding down for the night. Is this a takeover? Is this a visiting relative? Please explain... Thank you! -- Akron,OH

A: Our guess is a visiting bird from last year’s clutch

Q: I notice you now have a count on how many purple martin chicks and eggs are occupying the gourds. I assume you do this by lowering the gourds. Do you actually touch the babies and the eggs? If so is it a myth that the mother will not return to the nest if the nest is touched by human hands? Curious in Newton, MA -- Newton,MA

A: Thanks for your note! We do try and lower the gourd racks at least once a week to check the nests for mortality and parasites. We also try to band the chicks to gather information on dispersal, migration, nest site fidelity, etc. This has no impact on nesting success, in fact it is recommended by Purple Martin conservationists as a method of improving the health and stability of the colony. Purple Martins in the East are totally reliant on artificial housing and do not nest in any natural cavities. They are very tolerant of human interaction and re-enter the gourds as soon as we raise them.

It is, in fact, a myth that parent birds will abandon their nest if it is touched by human hands. Most birds have very little sense of smell. As long as the nest is not moved, and the young are still alive when they return, the adults will immediately resume parental responsibilities.

Q: Hi Gazebo Phil! Quick question for you, I watch the nest at night and it seems there is a lot of movement going on, even very late at night! It looks like the parents are always shifting themselves and being woken up because the babies are squirming all night. Do you think they get a good nights sleep? Or is it common for birds not to sleep very well when they have babies to take care of? Oh, and thanks for the website, our office is addicted!!!! Kerri, Attleboro, MA. -- attleboro,MA

A: Thanks for your note. Just like human babies, our Martin chicks are squirming around nearly 24 hours a day as their muscles are developing. This stimulation is necessary for healthy growth. Unlike people, however, the adults do not need a good eight hours of sleep and seldom sleep soundly for more than a few minutes at a time even when not raising a family

Q: HI GRANDPA!!!!!! ITS KENZIE! WHAT IS THE LIFE EXPECTANCY FOR A PURPLE MARTIN? -- newton,MA

A: Most Purple Martins live from 3 to 7 years. The oldest Purple Martin on record lived 13 years and 9 months.

Q: Thank you GazeboPhil....I will keep trying!!! My site is closer to water and just as open (field wise) and Im very close to 2 active colonies...how do you feel about playing dawnsong and chatter? -- williamsburg VA,USA

A: The dawnsong is an excellent attractor and has been used by many martin enthusiasts to jump start their colony. It sounds like you have a great location, good luck!

Q: I have had Martins in the past but moved to a new home...Ive been trying for 2 years now, as of last week I had a pair checking my house out frequently but since Fri 6/11 nothing...Is it to late for them to start nesting....are my chances over for this year? Thank you Renee Diggs -- Williamsburg Va,USA

A: Renee:

You mentioned that you have moved to a new home but didn’t mention if the habitat is similar to that of your former home. As you know, Purple Martin nesting colonies require rather specific habitats, open meadows/lawns with no overhanging trees and access to plenty of flying insects such as dragonflies. Since you have had a pair checking out your house this spring, I think you have a chance for nesting, but probably not until next spring. Don’t give up!

Q: Hi Phil -- my kids have been so fascinated by this whole thing! My 4-year-old woke up this morning and the first thing she said when she opened her eyes was, Can we see if the other babies hatched? What a thrill to visit and see all the new babies since yesterday! Just now we watched one of the adults devour the last eggshell -- the kids were howling with glee! My 7-year-old wants to know how to tell the mom from the dad - is there a visible difference between male and female? what about the babies -- when will you be able to tell male from female? Now if I can only get them to stop watching and go to bed! Thanks, Roseann -- bayside,NY

A: Roseann:

Thanks for your note! The best way to identify males from females is by their plumage. The adult male is uniform bluish-black and the female has a bluish back and is dingy grey-brown below with smudgy markings. The male’s song is a low-pitched, rich, liquid gurgling. The female makes a mixture of chortling calls and down slurred whistles. Both sexes make a variety of other call notes from rattles to chip notes. The young birds will all look similar until next year when the males will begin to show dark purple feathers coming in on their breast and face. Enjoy!

Q: Hi - What do they with the egg shells once the babies hatch? Do they stay in the nest or do they clean house? I don't remember seeing what they did with the shells last year... Karin Lippert -- Toronto,ON

A: Karin:

Purple Martins, as well as many other songbirds, often eat the eggshells once the chicks hatch. This provides them with much-needed calcium. I have also noticed that some Purple Martin parents simply remove the shells and drop them outside the colony. Thanks!

Q: I enjoy watching the Martins in their nest. I notice that the lights are kept on all night. Are you sure the lights don't bother them and how do you know? -- Milford,CT

A: They are infrared lights and the birds don’t notice them. They are used by biologists in many similar situations. Thanks!

Q: I have 12 martins sitting in the rain and catching bugs in the air. What kind of nesting material do they use? -- J R., Coventry,CT

A: Martins use a variety of nesting materials including grass, twigs, leaves and even seaweed in our case! However, they seem to prefer pine needles if they can find them. Some folks scatter clumps of white pine needles near their colony, or even place a tray full of needles on a pole nearby.

Q: My first year for putting up a Martin house, had 3 scouts 4 days ago, but so far no Martins have moved in. What could be the problem? Thank-You -- carl c., forestville,MI

A: No problem. It often takes a year or two for martins to begin nesting after the house is “discovered” by scouts.

Be patient and keep the maintenance up. The fact that scouts have arrived to check it out is a great sign.

Q: Dear Gazebo Phil, I see a lot more nesting materials in the gourd! It's as if it appeared all of a sudden... is this natural? -- Jim G., Rye,NY

A: Once they settle on a nesting gourd, the process begins to move fairly quickly.