Talk of The Villages Florida - Purple Martin Apartment Yes/No/Maybe advice?

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My guess there's abundant natural food available

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Originally Posted by EdFNJ (Post 1721591)

Especially ff they don't pay amenity fees I'd probably report them. ;)

O there going to pay amenities fees to the developers and use districts facilities.

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Originally Posted by karostay (Post 1722046)

My guess there's abundant natural food available

Majority of PMs migrant as far up in Canada on eastern side of Rockies. IMO very few in central Florida, maybe more along coasts?

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Originally Posted by Mjborr (Post 1721788)

This is our third winter in this house. We have small bird feeders with baffles and weighted perches to deter squirrels and crows. There were very few birds the first year but each year the number has increased. We get cardinals, blue birds, finches and (this year) red winged blackbirds.

We use Safflower Seed, black birds and squirrels don't like it but Cardinals, Finches and Doves very much so. We go through a 25 pound bag every 2 to 3 weeks. We have enclosed back yard, (CYV) and we have a Red Cardinal and a Brown Cardinal, currently 2 Brown Thrashers sometimes 4 and 3 Finches and many doves living in our backyard. We also put out grapes and we have a Mockingbird who loves the grapes and controls our backyard on who can come and who can go. He'll even chase away Hawks, last week he was trying to get rid of the blackbirds dive bombing them. We have 2 squirrels also and we give them peanuts so they won't eat the grapes and sometimes the blackbirds will come for the peanuts, blackbirds are February to July. The Thrashers are also seasonal, they come in February and leave in September. Also we have a bird bath and I also fill two dog bowls with water, the birds like taking baths in the dog bowls. Having a 7' wall around the backyard gives you a little more freedom.

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon...._AC_SX679_.jpg

We love purple martins and they do come back year after year to the same "space" they were born and raised in. They are wonderful for eating bugs (especially mosquitos!) but the ONLY thing I would warn you to be careful of are the critters and other predatory birds. Owls, eagles, hawks, etc...they find the "apartment" structure of Purple Martin houses to be EASY pickings for the chicks. :( :( :(
Identifying Purple Martin Predators

Probably too late this year. They should be looking for new homes in early January. Don't raise the house until then to keep other birds from nesting. Clean at the end of each season, which is very cool because they will all leave at one time. Once you get families the same will return every year. They are very social birds. You will love them.