Purple Martin

Adult males have glossy, dark purplish-blue plumage all over with brownish-black wings and tail. Adult females and juveniles have a duller appearance with dark gray-blue upperparts, a pale gray throat and breast, and a mottled whitish belly.

Large swallow size, forked tail, robust bill, and (in adult males) deep glossy purple-blue body; females show contrasting pale underparts.

Length: 19-22 cm, Wingspan: 38-41 cm, Weight: 45-60 g

A rich, gurgling warble often described as a series of bubbling or chattering notes given in flight or from a perch.

Consists almost entirely of flying insects including beetles, flies, dragonflies, and butterflies, captured exclusively on the wing.

Open country near water sources, forest clearings, agricultural fields, and urban or suburban areas with artificial nesting structures.

Neotropical migrant; travels long distances between North American breeding grounds and South American wintering areas.

Social nesters that breed in colonies. They build a cup nest of twigs, leaves, and mud inside cavities, naturally in old woodpecker holes or frequently in multi-compartment human-made houses.

Other swallows and martins, but the Purple Martin's larger size and the adult male's completely dark purple-blue coloration distinguish it.

Acts as a natural insect controller by consuming large quantities of flying insects, helping to manage pest populations.

Least Concern, though populations have experienced localized declines due to competition with invasive species like house sparrows and European starlings.

Look up near open areas, lakes, and parks where human-installed multi-compartment martin houses are present. They are often spotted perching on wires or soaring high in circles.

In North America, the eastern subspecies of the Purple Martin has become almost entirely dependent on human-provided housing for nesting, making it one of the few species closely monitored and managed by citizen scientists known as 'martin landlords'.