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By Jim Bywaters
Rappahannock News Writer
For the reader that has a Purple Martin birdhouse or any other type of housing for birds in their yard, your good intentions in attempting to provide martins and native birds a place to nest are applauded. However, if you are allowing your housing to stand unmanaged, you are indirectly harming the birds that the house was meant to benefit.
You may be providing a breeding place for the worst enemies of our native birds and martins, which are the European Starling and the English House Sparrows.
The nonnative, cavity nesting European Starling and English House Sparrow were unfortunately introduced in this country during the late 1800's. They easily adapted and then gradually spread across the continent.
These two "pest" species are directly responsible for the population decline the once common Purple Martin has undergone during this past century.
The starling and House Sparrow are often referred to by Purple Martin enthusiast as "the vermin of the air," and are also harmful to many native birds. These birds were one major factor that nearly forced the extinction of the Eastern Bluebird. Luckily, with the installation of Bluebird nest box trails and proper management these beautiful birds are making a comeback.
House management is still required to insure the Bluebirds continual success.
These two species are so aggressive and destructive that it is, in most cases, no longer possible to simply erect martin housing and then just wait for the martins to move in. Starlings and House Sparrows will most likely move in first if allowed.
Once established, they are very territorial and aggressive. Your chances of attracting martins to your housing without evicting the starlings and House Sparrows are non* existent. a - t
Being more persistent and aggressive than the martins, starlings and House Sparrows will not only prevent your martins from nesting in your housing, they will breed in the martin house and then kill or chase away any martins that attempt to investigate or nest in the house.
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