Purple Martin gourd battle

Early this morning I woke up and saw that Gazebo Phil had a couple of Purple Martins in the cam gourd. They were not there last night. I was thrilled thinking that these two birds were inspecting what would be their home for the summer.



However, just after I finished doing some survey work this morning, Gazebo Phil called me to say there was a fight underway! This huge and lengthy battle was between two males that both wanted to use that gourd. Gazebo Phil described it as a wild and loud scene with splayed wings, ending with the vanquished on his back. He told me the defeated bird gave up and left the gourd. Afterward it seemed as if everything went back to normal. I finally got to a computer to see a pair sitting in the gourd post-battle as if nothing had happened. You never know what you might see, so please keep a close eye on the community. Please use his website to alert us to any action you may spot.