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Re: Vulture vs Martins



In regard to whether Purple Martins will go after large birds:
Actually, this is probably the reason--ultimately--that we
today put up nesting structures for martins.  John Lawson,
in A New Voyage to Carolina, 1709 stated that
"The Planters put Gourds on standing Poles, on purpose
for these Fowl [Purple Martins] to build in, because they are
a very Warlike Bird, and beat the Crows from the Plantations."
The early Europeans were doing what the Indians before
them had done.  And people today continue the tradition.
By the way, neither the Indians or the early
Europeans likely subscribed to the largely erroneous belief
that martins are an important predator of mosquitoes.

Of course, it's nice to think that the Indians and early Europeans
just liked having the martins around.  They certainly are
pleasant company. ( I remember when, as a child, being
awakened on summer mornings by the happy chatter of martins.)

As to whether vultures will come close to suburban yards:
I'm sure most of you have seen old pictures of vultures walking
around in cities and towns like Ring-billed Gulls--think they still
do this in Central America, and perhaps they still do this regularly
at some places in the U.S.  The old Birds of America (T. Gilbert
Pearson)
has a photo of Black Vultures walking in the streets of Charleston.
(early in the 19th century I guess).

John Fussell
Morehead City, NC
jfuss@clis.com

----- Original Message -----
From: Maginnis <maginnis@knology.net>
To: <carolinabirds@duke.edu>
Sent: Sunday, June 09, 2002 3:28 PM
Subject: Vulture vs Martins


> Greetings,
>
> It was 11 years ago that I put up my purple martin apartment. During
that
> time it was never occupied either by martins or sparrows or any other
> thing. This year I was encouraged when I saw a couple of martins
returning
> to the roof of the apt. house each evening over a period of  a few
weeks,
> but still remained skeptical. On Mothers Day morning,  my son and I
saw the
> first signs of nest building. By that time there were 6 martins.  They
are
> now fully established and every morning and evening the air is filled
with
> their chatter. About 2 weeks ago I heard them making an awful noise
instead
> of the usual chatter. On the roof of the apt. house was a young
grackle
> surrounded by squawking purple martins. The poor grackle finally got
the
> message and took off for a neighboring pine tree with at least one
purple
> martin chasing it.
>
> Last night my 2 cardigan corgis caught a baby raccoon. Thankfully they
> hadn't tried to eat it, but it was very dead. Without giving it a
thought,
> I flung the raccoon over the fence and into the marsh to let nature
take
> care of it.
> Turkey vultures are not strangers in my area.Today sitting at the
computer
> on the second floor overlooking the marsh and martin house, I have
seen one
> circling and flying low. The vulture seemed to pass over the area
where I
> had thrown the raccoon. A couple of purple martins even chased it, but
it
> came back later. Do martins usually go after something so much bigger
than
> themselves? I assume they are trying to protect their nest.
> Tell me, can a vulture see something as small as a baby raccoon in
marsh
> grass?? If it has seen it will it try to get to it and eat it even if
it is
> fairly close to a suburban backyard?
>
> Gail
> Charleston,SC
>
>
>
>
>
> ---
> [This E-mail scanned for viruses by Cape Lookout Mail Server]
>
>

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