Purple Martin (Progne subis)

Swallows and Martin Family (Hirundinidae)
Purple Martin is a large stocky dark swallow with a slightly forked short tail, reaching about 8” in length and 17” wingspan. Males are blackish with a glossy blue-purple sheen and with duller wings and tail. Females are duller and gray or gray-blue or gray-brown above, with some blue-purple sheen and variable amounts of darker areas on the crown, shoulders, back, and wings, and lighter below. It has a stout, slightly hooked bill and long, tapered wings. Juveniles similar to adult females, but are browner on the back and lack the blue sheen. A cavity-nester, normally laying 3-8 white eggs in May and June. In the east, it is almost entirely dependent on artificial cavities, such as hollow gourds, put up by humans. They will frequently nest in colonies. Song is boisterous, throaty chirps, gurgles, and creaky rattles. The throaty and rich calls include a tchew-wew, pew pew, choo, cher, zweet, and zwrack. It is a neotropical migratory bird with breeding populations found throughout temperate North America, especially in eastern North America and along the west coast from British Columbia to Mexico. Migrates to South America for the winter. They form large flocks when not breeding and on the wintering grounds. Found in open areas, forest edges, montane forests, and deserts. In the east, it is also found where artificial cavities are provided. It feeds frequently in open areas, especially near water. Non-native European Starlings and House Sparrows compete with martins for nest cavities. It is an aerial acrobat, having speed and agility in flight. It eats insects, especially large winged insects like dragonflies and wasps, by capturing them in mid air, often exceeding 150 feet and sometimes 500 feet or more off the ground. It also drinks water while in flight by skimming a water body with its lower bill. It is active during the day and most active at dawn and dusk. Has 3 subspecies.

Threatened in CT and Species of Concern in NH, OR, VT, WA, WI, & federally.


Copyright Brett Miley