Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1900-09-07
THE PURPLE MARTIN.
Its Habits OF Migration, and Its Mode
OF Life During the Brief Summer stay
OF the Colony In BrRItlebOrO.

It's Habits OF Migration, and Its Mode
OF Life During the Brief summer stay
OF the Colony In BrAItIebOrO.
The martins have left us for their long
journey TO their southern home far too
soon for those who observe and study
them during their short sojourn in Brat
tleboro. For many summers the martins
have occupied the various nesting boxes
erected for them in different parts of the
town, but it is believed that the only one
which was taken this summer is at Will
liam G. Horizons on Brook street. The
reason is quite obvious, as any unpreju.
diced person can see The martins will
not associate with the English or house
sparrows, and a warfare must be waged to
keep the sparrows out of the nesting boxes
or the martins will go to some place less
| frequented by the sparrows. The martins
do not seem equal TO the task of dislodg-
ing the sparrows, even when they are COM
hitting the objectionable offence of TAX
! ing possession of a nest and throwing out
eggs and nesting material. In the pres
ent case more than 40 sparrows were dis
posed of before the martins were settled
for the season. The box has 81 entrances
and was occupied by about 40 adult mar
|
migrate there were about 70 old and young.
In the spring they arrive in small focks.
April l6 the first two birds came TO the
box. April Is and u brought three each
day The colony was not complete until
about the first of May. For several days
after each arrival there is great commo-
ton about the box, as they all prefer the
rooms on the north and west sides, per-
haps because they are on the opposite
sides from the street and houses. When
the strife is over and those less persistent
have been forced TO occupy the other
apartments, the question OF rooms is set
tied for the season and peace reigns
throughout the whole colony.
Each day for a few weeks they take
long flights in search of food, leaving their
home for the entire day but returning at
nightfall. Nest building begins about
June l, but as they only place just enough
material at the door 10 keep the young
from falling out the amount of labor is
small. During incubation the mother
bird leaves her nest only long enough TO
obtain necessary food, as she seems incred-
ulous of Mr.. Martins capacity of guard
ing her eggs; but after the little ones APP
pear the JOY of the father seems unbound
ed, and his services in obtaining food and
atfectonately feeding his brood might put
TO shame some that do not wear feathers.
1t is very amusing to observe the curl
osity of the other martins whenever new
brood is Matched, as they all seem to I'M
derstand it and make frequent calls at the
door of the new arrivals, fairly poking
their heads into the nests, much to the
disgust and annoyance of the father bird,
who spreads his long wings, drops his tail
and ducks his head, and with open bill
very hurriedlv and ungallantly escorts
them from his door. The young are not
allowed TO leave their nests until they are
strong enough tC fly short distance and
return to the nest. Neither are they al
lowed to light on the ground or on low
trees like robins, orioles and most other
birds, but are closely guarded, and when
not in flight are taught to keep on or in
the box. During the interval that the
young are not strong flyers the whole col
ony remains near the box for many days,
but about two weeks before they migrate
they all leave the vicinity of the box for
the whole day and return at night,
They migrate in aocks in the fall, the
same as they come in the spring. Aug. lC
about so left and each subsequent day UNI
til Aug. 10 they left in small flocks. Aug
II and IS only one lonely little Martin re-
turned and its lonesome call told us very
clearly that it had unfortunately strayed
from the rest of the flock and was still
lowering about its dear old home.
F. b. II.