Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-09-01
COmbative Tendencies Of Bluebirds and
Martins.


The fact that bluebirds often take
possession of boxes reared for the
martins is the cause of much contention
between the two species. But the
almost universal belief that the bluebird
is too much for the martin is, accord
ing TO my experience, very incorrect.
In this latitude bluebirds often remain
with us during the winter, and they
may always be heard warbling their
cheerful lays the first warm days in
February. Soon they make and seek
hollow apple tree, a vacated wood
pecker hole, a martin box, or ever a
gourd with a hole in it, and placed a
few feet above the ground, is good
enough for them.
At first they are very timid, but as
nothing molests them they become
very bold. However, they do not like
to have near neighbors, and the males
often engage in fearful combat even
when their respective places of abode
r several rods apart. They begin the
attack in the air, and, falling to the
ground, continue the struggle until.
exhausted. 1 have often approached
within a few feet of them and watched
them several minutes. Sometimes they
will lie by each other painting for some
time, and then renew the engagement.
But the martin does not put in an APP
pearance until late in March-frst the
males, and some days later thefemales.
At first the martin is very timid,
especially the female, and where the
%bluebirds have possession of a box it is
very easy generally to hold the mar
tins at bay, but no bluebird would dare
to make himself at home in a box occu-
pied by martins. But sometimes the
martins grow very bold. In the spring
the bluebirds took possession of the box
which stands in front of the door where
1 am writing. We placed another box
about three rods distant from the first
boz, which was soon occupied by mar
tins; at first there was some sparring
between the birds, but finally they set
tied down, and l expected everything
to go on nicely, but one evening just
before shutdown another male martin
arrived, and at once made an attack on
the bluebirds, which were then incubat-
ing. Several times the birds fell to the
ground, but the martin is too high
minded to wallow in the dirt, so he
was Immediately on the wing. At
nightfall the bluebirds were in peaceful
possession of their fort. The next morn
ing | was up early to see if the martin
would renew the attack. In q few
minutes the martin swooped down to
the box, and was promptly met by the
bluebird. They flew forcibly against
each other and fell, but the martin was
up again and at the box, followed by
the bluebird. Several times they came
to the ground, but each time the martin
sought the box. Soon the bluebird
paused a moment on the ground. 1t
was a fatal pause. The martin got into
the box, and sat in one of the doors.
The bluebird renewed the fight, and
got the martin by the foot and drew
him out, but like an arrow he was in
again. This time he kept his feet out
of the way, and presented his wide
spread jaws. Both ..bluebirds flew at
him, but he would catch them and hold
them until they were glad to get away.
All day the fight was Kept up, but that
evening the bluebirds retreated. In
two or three days the martin found a
female which took the precaution to
throw out the eggs of the bluebirds.
Now, all day long the bluebirds sat on
a peach tree near by, uttering a plain
tive cry, so I made another box, and
placed it scarcely higher than my head.
In an hour the bluebirds were cheerful
and soon began to build. The young
bluebirds have been out several DAYS,
and there are young martins in the
other box.-Cor. Chicago Inter- Ocean.