The Purple Martin

The Purple Martin. . , Purple Martins are native songbirds in the swallow family. They have long been one of America's favorite birds, loved for their beautiful song, graceful flight, social antics, and insect-eating habits. Purple Martins nest in groups called colonies and, amazingly, migrate to the Brazilian Amazon and return north to the same colony site every year., Purple Martin populations are declining in many parts of North America. In fact over one-third of Purple Martins (4,300,000 birds) have been lost in the last 50 years. By providing housing, individuals can support this beloved native species. Being a Purple Martin "landlord" is a rewarding and enjoyable hobby. Once martins take up residence, they will return to the same nesting site year after year, helping you welcome spring!, An Incredible Trip , Purple Martins are neotropical migrants. They nest and raise their young in North America and migrate to the Amazon Rainforest during winter, after their nesting season is complete. Purple Martins have a wide breeding range east of the Rockies, from Florida up into Canada. The migration journey is long and taxing. GPS backpacks placed on the birds show migration to their winter roosting location in Brazil can be up to 7,500 miles. Remarkably, they can make the trip back here in as little as three weeks!, Purple Martin ID , Purple Martins are beloved for their beautiful purple plumage. Adult males (at right) are iridescent, dark blue-purple overall with brown-black wings and tail. Females and younger birds are duller, with variable amounts of gray on the head and chest and a whitish lower belly. The male Purple Martin is the only North American swallow with a dark belly. This makes in-flight identification easier than with many other swallow species., Eating on the Fly , Purple Martins are aerial insectivores, catching and consuming insects during flight. Studies have shown that Purple Martins eat over 250 billion insects each year! Their diet includes dragonflies, moths, butterflies, flies, beetles, wasps, and other flying insects. They catch their prey and even drink in midair, flying over and scooping water into their beak while on the move. Martin landlords enjoy watching their graceful flying acrobatics as they catch insects., Become a Purple Martin "Landlord" , Purple Martins need your help! East of the Rocky Mountains, Purple Martins almost entirely depend on human-supplied housing. Traditionally, Purple Martins nested in natural cavities such as old woodpecker holes, rock ledges, and dead trees. However centuries ago, Native Americans hung dried gourds for the birds to nest in hoping to attract them to control insects. Over time, habitat loss and competition from nonnative House Sparrows and European Starlings led to martins relying on humans for nesting habitat. By providing martin housing in your backyard, you can help ensure the future of Purple Martins!, The Power of Citizen Scientists , Purple Martin enthusiasts have many opportunities to get directly involved in exciting and on-going citizen-science projects. You can really make a difference! The PMCA collects vital data through citizen-science projects including Project MartinWatch, Scout-Arrival Study, and Project MartinRoost. Every nesting season the PMCA broadcasts a live NestCam to millions of viewers who tune in to watch the new family grow., The PMCA: A Dedicated Community of Conservationists , Founded in 1987, the Purple Martin Conservation Association (PMCA) is the world leader in the conservation of Purple Martins. The PMCA is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation of the Purple Martin (Progne subis) through scientific research, state of the art wildlife management techniques, and public education., As a nonprofit organization, the PMCA depends on its members, donors, and citizen-scientists to further our work for the benefit of Purple Martins. Please join us to help ensure the future of Purple Martins!