Purple Martin Association of the Dakotas

I hope everyone had a great PM year. The weather seemed to cooperate and I had a bounty of baby martins with a high fledge rate. It is always sad to see the last few martins leave for their southern migration, but we know they will be back next spring. I wish everyone the best in all their maintenan...

I built trays for my trio houses, used yellow pine and roughed up the nest bowl and bottoms with a wood rasp. I also used pine to build the T14 trays. My original trays were made with 1/4 inch thick hobby board poplar wood. They ere ok, but over time they deteriorate. I like the simple but sturdy pi...

The SYs are just starting to come into Iowa at a slow pace, but the week of may 16th will warm nicely to increase the migration north.

Caroline,
It is good to hear that they have arrived at your location. I see they have also moved into Canada.

I'm suprised to hear no martins at your location. We do have a few TS. No Orioles or hummers.

With the cold weather a thing of the past, a wide variety of bird species are moving into the state. I live on a small lake in central Iowa and we now have American coots, northern shovelers, white egrets, fish hawks, pipers, wood ducks, red winged blackbirds. Interestingly, here in Iowa we do not h...

My trio housing all have homemade pull out trays. The T14 at the satelite site in Ames, Iowa was made on pine with a very heavy coating of white paint. I repaint as needed to protect the wood. Cedar is best when building wood houses, but it runs very high priced.

Most use soft white pine needles in Iowa, due to the abundance and it has a great wicking effect from moisture. Once they start adding to their prenest material, dried corn husks are popular with the martins. Not suprising coming from a huge corn state. lol. I have heard that the cedar has does have...

Across the state of Iowa, our ASY reports have been roughly one week earlier than 2019 migration. So, I'm assuming that this will hold true for the states to the north.

I built my own wooden trays for the T14 as well as the metal houses. I used cedar to build the T14, costly but will last forever with minimal upkeep. The martins are pushing north. I have 5 at my home site as of April 1st. Tomorrows weather will be 65 and a little rain. But, I see that South Dakota ...