Male on the right
Two females preening
Male
Getting straw for their gourds
Toward the completion of the nest and continuing until the eggs hatch, green leaves are gathered by the pair and used to line the cup of the nest.
Leaf-seeking martins, usually males, land in nearby greenery and tear off leaves with their bills.
Leaf gathering is started during the egg-laying period and continues through the incubation period. These leaves eventually dry up and remain in the nest.
It’s still unknown what function these leaves actually serve, but most experts speculate that they emit small amounts of a chemical called hydrocyanic acid, a kind of natural insecticide that might protect the nestlings or the incubating female from certain parasites.
Many people also believe that the leaves add moisture to the nest and help regulate the temperature inside the gourd.
Home sweet home.
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