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Purple Martin

(Progne subis)
Indiana

General Information

The Purple Martin, North America’s largest swallow, is a widespread social nester across most of North America. They are cavity nesters that use old woodpecker holes or cavities in cliffs or loose rocks. Native Americans learned early that martins would nest readily in a hollow gourd or calabash provided for them. This practice, widespread among Native Americans, was later picked up and expanded by slaves and the European colonists as early as the 1700’s. Although the western race of Purple Martins still nest in natural cavities, Purple Martins today are almost entirely dependent on the hundreds of thousands of nest boxes and gourds that are provided by humans.

During winter months, Purple Martins are found in southern Venezuela, Brazil and Bolivia, but the extent of their winter range in South America is still unknown. Purple Martins begin arriving in North America in January, and continue northward to arrive at their northernmost breeding territories by the middle of May. Male martins arrive at their North American breeding grounds early in spring well before the females, with older males (often referred to as scouts) returning before younger males.

The plumage of the adult male (left) is uniformly blue-black. Females (right) and immature birds are mixed blue and gray above, and gray to white below.

Figure 1 - Purple Martin Adults

 Figure 2 - Purple Martins nest is colonies with up to hundreds of birds.

Purple Martins nest in communal nest boxes. They are agile flyers and have excellent eyesight, and are adept at locating and catching flying insects that provide most of their diet.

Purple Martins are mostly single brooded, with a clutch of from two to eight eggs. The female selects the nest site, and collects most of the twigs, feathers, paper, straw, and bark strips used to make the nest. The male brings in fresh green leaves (seen here and in the next photo) to provide moisture for the eggs and probably to provide insecticidal protection. Eggs are white, smooth and unmarked.

Figure 3 - Purple Martin nest

Figure 4 - Purple Martin hatchlings

The eggs, incubated by the female, hatch in about 16 days. Young are altricial, (born blind and naked). Both parents feed the young who fledge in about 28 days. The male guards the nest while the female is off feeding. Note the green leaves brought to the nest by the male.

People who provide martin houses tend to take good care of their charges. Many keep detailed records of the number of nests, eggs, and fledglings each year. The young in this colony on the northwest side of Indianapolis are being banded to track their movements. So far this season (2006), a total of 110 nestlings have been banded in this colony. It is hoped that recoveries of banded birds will provide some insight into their wintering territories.

Figure 5 - Monitoring Martin Houses 

 Figure 6 - Juvenile Purple Martin

Fledglings congregate in areas around the nest, but will use the nest box for roosting. Once the young are all fledged, however, the colony abandons the nest boxes to join large communal roosts in shade trees in towns and cities. The young join the adults in these large roosts prior to their trip to their wintering grounds.

Monitoring and banding a colony of martins provides a wonderful opportunity for youngsters to participate and learn about these birds, their importance to our world, and the scientific skills needed to collect useful data.

Figure 7 - Assistants in training

Figure 8 - Avian Flu sample container

Chipper Woods Bird Observatory and banders across North America are working with the Landbird Monitoring Network of the Americas and the UCLA Center for Tropical Research to monitor wild migratory birds for avian flu. These studies will provide a snapshot of the influenza situation currently in North American wild birds, and hopefully provide an early warning if and when the H5N1 strain of avian flu arrives in North America. An early warning will enable health agencies to take appropriate steps to protect the public and domestic flocks of birds.

Banding Recoveries

The records at the Bird Banding Laboratory show that 150,175 Purple Martins were banded between 1955 and 2000. Of these, 1,345 were encountered away from the location where they were banded. Band studies show that Purple Martins live up to 8 years in the wild. Martins return to the same breeding boxes year after year, and have an excellent homing instinct.

Average flight speeds range from 17 to 22 mph, with maximum speeds of 41 mph. Birds removed from their breeding colony and released more than 200 miles away returned to their nests in less than a day.

If you should recover a banded Purple Martin, please report the band number to the Bird Banding Lab by calling 1-800-327-BAND.

Conservation Status & Economic Importance

Purple Martins have adapted well to humans. They provide an aesthetic oneness with nature, and an important service to man by consuming a vast number of insects, including beetles, wasps, flies, moths, butterflies, hemipterans (bugs), dragonflies, and many other insects and insect pests. Although martins do eat mosquitoes, their role in mosquito control is exaggerated. Martins forage for food mostly in daylight, while mosquitoes are active mostly after dark.

Further Reading

Because Purple Martins are popular birds, a number of excellent books and web sites are available on this species. In addition to these, the following references provide detailed scientific information on Purple Martins.

Baicich, P. J. and C. J. O. Harrison. 1997. A Guide to the Nests, Eggs, and Nestlings of North American Birds, 2nd Edition. Academic Press, NY. 347 Pp.

Baugnman, Mel. Editor. 2003. Reference Atlas to the Birds of North America. National Geographic Society. Washington, DC. 480 Pp.

Terres, J. K. 1995. The Audubon Society Encyclopedia of North American Birds. Wings Books, NY. 1,109 Pp.

Turner, A. and C. Rose. 1989. Swallows and Martins. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston. 258 Pp.

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