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July 2009 Articles

Designing the Right Watering System for Your Cattle
Preventing Calf Scours Starts Now
Youth Beef Profect Selection Tips
Practical Riding Applications
Centipede grass ideal for sustanable landscapes
Brown-headed Cowbird
Experts supply keys to sucess for azaleas
Thanks, To our Cooperative Extension Service Employees
LSU AgCenter offers series on "agritourism' starting July 21
La to host national 4-H Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Program July 19-23
Heavenly Delight Cake
Plant Species Profile Mayhaw
Start a home vegetable garden now
Planting Spring Vegetables
Good Foods
First Important Lessons
Brownies
Planning the summer flower garden
• Wildlife Species Profile Purple Martin
La Dairy Farmers facing falling on-farm milk prices
Oak Grove Farmer named 2009 Farmer of the Year
Texas Cattle Trichomoniasis Program Adopted
Bovine Trichomoniasis
La Agribusiness Summit Forum
Foresty Forum
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Fire Ants
Farm Counties with Poultry Production significantly outperform

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Wildlife Species Profile Purple Martin

Wildlife Species Profile Purple Martin (Progne subis)
Purple martins are the largest member of the swallow family measuring from 7 ¼ to 8 ½ inches in length. Males are a glossy purplish black with a fairly long, moderately forked tail. Females are much duller and lighter gray below, with a light gray forehead. It is estimated that more than 1 million Americans have housing erected for attracting purple martins. The birds historically used natural cavities in trees and rocks for nesting but the alteration of many habitats has made these areas scarce. Native Americans were some of the earliest users of artificial cavities by erecting hollowed gourds on poles that had the proper hole sizes for attracting purple martins. Housing for purple martins should be erected approximately four weeks after the first “scouts” have returned for the season. In Louisiana, purple martins begin to return by Feb. 1 but first arrivals can be earlier or later than this date, depending on the homeowner’s location in the state. Returning scouts seldom switch to new housing, and a high degree of site fidelity drives them to return to the same housing each year. Houses that are erected too early will often attract undesirable nest competitors such as house sparrows or European starlings. Nesting structures should be kept in a usable condition throughout the summer since purple matins have been know to nest as late as mid-May in Louisiana. If a successful nesting is carried out, females will nest only one time each spring. Failed nesting attempts, however, will promote re-nesting efforts. This process begins a few weeks after first arriving at a suitable site. One to six eggs (average four) comprise a clutch, and incubation lasts approximately 16 days. Young fledge from the nest approximately 28 days after hatching and begin to acquire their own food. Feeders or watering sources are not necessary in managing for purple martins. These birds consume only flying insects which means they literally eat and drink on the fly. Location and maintenance of housing structures are the two most important aspects in successfully attracting purple martins to an area. Houses should be placed at least 30 feet from human dwellings and at least 40 feet from any trees that are higher than the nesting structure. Houses should be mounted on poles at a height of 10-20 feet in the most open areas available. Successful purple martin management requires that houses be accessible for cleaning and maintenance. Sparrow and starling nests must be aggressively removed from martin houses. These non-native species are extremely competitive and will prevent purple martins from using any housing that is otherwise properly located. Large nests that completely fill the nesting compartment are indications of nesting sparrows. Purple martin nests are generally flat, being no higher than the threshold of the box opening. If eggs are present, the small brown-speckled eggs of the English sparrow are easily distinguishable from the larger pure white purple martin eggs. Purple martins are neo-tropical migrants and return each year to wintering areas in Central and South America. Birds that use the Louisiana flyway come from areas throughout the central United States to form masses of 1 million or more individuals that gather in areas of south Louisiana prior to beginning the long journey across the Gulf of Mexico. They are among the earliest migrants with most out of Louisiana by early to mid-September.
Source: Louisiana Wildlife News - Volume 3, Issue 6 3

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