Norman why haven't you posted on the Roll Call yet???????? Come on you slacker!

I wish we had enough open area for Martins and Bluebirds!

If you don't mind me asking, do you use gourds for your Martin houses, plastic gourd-shaped houses, or something else?

There's a birdhouse on the property here - the pole it is on has to be unbolted down at standing-height and then slowly tilted down. There's a couple of crossbars that hold the pitiful remains of gourds that were no doubt once inhabitated by Martins, but abandoned before I got this place. I've been told that Martins "must" have cleaned out houses otherwise they won't take up residence again. Is this true? I'm not sure what the other birdhouse is for - what type of bird I mean. I'm not sure if it was designed for Martins or some other compatible neighbour-bird.

I had a martin house my grandfather gave me in 1980. We moved it with us from TX, to AL, to TN. This winter it gave up the ghost and fell apart. :-( Now we will have to start over. How do the gourds compare to manmade martin houses?

Becky

I think the martins prefer gourds, I have home made houses ,factory built (was a waste of money) and some plastic gourd like. Now I have two types of the plastic ones. One was white, birds do not nest in them, and I have some that were brown and I painted white. They seem to like that one OK. Now the only difference that I can see is the white ones when held up to the light, you can see light through them. I am guessing that the gourds and the brown plastic ones are dark inside and thats why the birds like them. Why they don't like the store bought aluminum house I don't know. I do clean the houses out every fall but was lazy last year or forgot. Hope this helps.
Norm

Well, when I originally moved to AL my more formal introduction to "Martins" (in other places I lived, they weren't so prevalent - every area seems to be rather unique in what birds and such are more commonplace) went hand-in-hand with my more formal introduction to, specifically, hard-shelled "bottle" gourds and "birdhouse" gourds. For years and years I only ever saw Martins taking up residence in lengthy lines strung between poles or from highpoints on structures like barns, etc. and on those lines a "birdhouse" gourd of "bottle" gourd suspended then about 1.5-2 gourds' width in space before the next one was suspended. More often than not it appeared that genuine effort/planning was made to suspend those lines of "martin houses" directly over or very close to vegetable gardens. The "old timers" (and I usually take this stuff to heart, even if I do pick it apart scientifically to try and discern the credibility of the information - "wives tales" fascinate me on some level - living history, language, etc. but I digress...) assured me that you wanted, more than anything, Martins for your garden because while they left crops alone, they ate "every" bug/insect/pest and they were of a nature that they would chase off even murders of crows (which I can personally - up close and personal - vouch for the cleverness of - highly intelligent species, but they are prone to watching people sow corn and then when the person departs, light at the end of the first row and go through precisely plucking up and out the sown corn and eating it). I was told they migrated and came back every year to "their houses" - presumably people have identified individuals that could be discerned from a group and noted as returning without fail. I inquired about other houses for Martins, but all I encountered "swore by" (translated: shut up and just believe what I'm telling you) gourds - and gourds only - for Martin houses. So devout were these people to their Martin flocks that they would find some bit of earth to grow these same gourds annually and treat and tend the developing gourds with the vigilance of a new-mother to their firstborn. I was impressed with what I observed. Some years later (over a decade) I began seeing white, plastic replicas of the actual hardshelled gourds for sale/available and I saw a scant few in use here and there, but by far and large, I still mostly saw the real thing.

I can't say how actual gourds compare against non-gourd shaped houses for Martins, but logically I'd think compared to the plastic counterparts, the real thing would probably be better for the birds themselves - and the environment. The only boon I can see to the plastic ones, would be the human-end convenience of cleaning annually and probably (maybe?) less breakage? And of course, not having to grow or buy new real hardshelled gourds in order to replace a broken one. I like gourds though, for a variety of reasons, so in theory I'm pro-real gourd. :) I haven't had any for birdhouses in the last couple of years though - either they were damaged (drying gourds and green ones alike, are a favourite toy of the canines) or they were of a form that I wanted to save back for some future art project. I should add here, or feel I should anyway, that "bottle" and "birdhouse" gourds aren't the only ones suitable - I like the Long Handle(d) Dipper gourds a lot for experimenting and I've had some that grew at just the right height off of the ground and conditions "just so" that instead of the neck twisting or contorting, it remained straight but thickened, and the body of the gourds widened nicely - a shape more like a "birdhouse" gourd.

But I want/need to ask a question now... IF I can get a photo transferred where I can post/link it here, of that birdhouse atop that pole, could someone here potentially tell me if it is supposed to be for Martins specifically or if it is a design actually intended for another type of bird, or should I post it as a different thread or in another forum?

A coupla' years ago I bought some serious martin gourds on ebay for my Dad. I researched martins on the 'net, and learned a lot. I fitted the gourds with a pvc cleanout opening/lid recommended in the info I've linked below. Very time consuming. Now I've seen the same manufacturer's [of the cleanout] version of the plastic gourds for $10 at Lowes, and my brother in B'ham got his there for 7.50. These gourds are engineered for the martins, and, for my time, worth the money.

I have also heard that in the northern part of the US, martins seem to prefer the houses; while the gourds are preferred by those in the south. House sparrows and starlings are bad to build their nests in martin houses, and are a threat to the martins.

Here is a link that might be useful: Martin information