Summary of what was known in early 20th century in Birds by Bent <http://birdsbybent.com/ch21-30/pmartin.html#nesting> - rare but not completely unheard of at that time. Note that Naples, Florida was considered to be remote country then! > *Nesting*.--Before the advent of the white man the martin used natural > cavities in trees and cliffs for nesting sites. But even in those > distant days there was some bird-house nesting, for the Indians were > fond of these birds and, as Wilson (1832) says, "even the solitary > Indian seems to have a particular respect for this bird." He gives an > account of the methods used by the "Choctaws and Chickasaws" who "cut > off all the top branches from a sapling near their cabins, leaving the > prongs a foot or two in length, on each of which they hang a gourd, or > calabash, properly hollowed out for their convenience." Forbush (1929) > adds that "when saplings were not conveniently situated the Indians > set up poles, fastened cross-bars to them and hung the gourds on these > cross-bars." > > Instances of strictly primitive nesting are still to be seen in remote > parts of the country. Roberts (1932) gives an account of martins > breeding among large boulders on Spirit Island, Lake Milles Lacs, > Minn. Howell (1932) mentions two or three examples in Florida, one > near La Belle and another at Naples. A unique situation came under his > observation on Anna Maria Key in May 1918, when he found a pair using > a hole in a palmetto piling over water, the cavity being about 3 feet > from the surface. > > I have seen one instance of primitive nesting in Florida, that of a > small colony of about five pairs utilizing a tall, dead pine > perforated with woodpecker holes. This tree stands near the banks of > the Kissimmee River, near the hamlet of Cornwell, in Highlands County, > Fla., and martins were using it late in March 1940. Shown to several > participants in the Wildlife Tours undertaken in that region during > the early part of 1940 by the Audubon Association, it never failed to > elicit the greatest interest. Flickers and bluebirds, as well as a > red-bellied woodpecker, were also using this avian apartment house. I > have had it reported that martins use the hollows in very old > cypresses in some of the large river swamps of South Carolina, along > with chimney swifts, which is certainly very likely, though I have not > seen this association personally. >
On 4/14/2021 10:18 AM, Johnson, Alyssa wrote: > > Good morning, > > As I watch the Purple Martins returning, and setting up seasonal > residence, I wonder about natural nesting locations. I’m not asking > for directions to one, but has anyone ever seen one? What do they look > like? Do they nest in dead trees? Or holes/crags in cliffs? > > I’d love to see a natural nesting site, the only time I’ve ever seen > PUMAs are at the colonial nesting boxes! And I got to thinking- what > did they nest in before we built these condos for them?! > > 😊 Alyssa > > -- > > *Alyssa Johnson* > > Environmental Educator > > 315.365.3588 > > *Montezuma Audubon Center* > > PO Box 187 > > 2295 State Route 89 > > Savannah, NY 13146 > > Montezuma.audubon.org > > /Pronouns: She, Her, Hers/ > > -- > *Cayugabirds-L List Info:* > Welcome and Basics <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> > Rules and Information <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> > Subscribe, Configuration and Leave > <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> > *Archives:* > The Mail Archive > <http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> > Surfbirds <http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> > BirdingOnThe.Net <http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> > *Please submit your observations to eBird > <http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>!* > -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
