Purple Martins
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Description
The Purple Martin is the largest member of the swallow family in North America. It is a slender bird measuring 7 to 7 ½ inches in length. As with most swallows, it has long wings and a wide beak. The tail is forked but not deeply. The male Purple Martins appear to be black in most lighting, but on bright sunny days, its plumage appears to be a bluish-black. The females are lighter in color with a pale gray throat and belly. Young males resemble the adult female. Their adult plumage surfaces by their second breeding season. Purple Martins
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A purple martin (#20...
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Birdhouse/Lighthouse
Purple Martins
More Purple Martin E...
White martin houses are more likely to attract Purple Martins than houses painted in another color. The white reflects the heat of the sun keeping the nestlings cooler.
Range
Martin Houses
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Mating and Nesting
Purple Martins are monogamous. The male and female build the nest out of mud, grass and twigs. The female lays one egg a day for two to seven days. She incubates the eggs for approximately 15 days. Both the male and the female work together to feed the young until the fledge 26 to 32 days after hatching. The young will stay close to their parents for another couple of weeks as they learn to hunt. The most common reason for Purple Martins to abandon a colony site is predation. An owl or hawk can wipe out a colony in a matter of days. One raid and the surviving birds will flee.
Location! Location! Location!
Purple Martins are one of the few birds dependent of man-made nesting sites. Unless the situation changes drastically, the same martin house will be used by the group year after year.They are particular. The house has to be out in the open, and at least 30 feet from human habitation. If there are trees nearby that are taller than the house, the flock will look for other habitation. Nor can there be vines or bushes growing around the base of the stand.
Another major requirement is water. The martins will look for a reliable supply of water nearby. A birdbath will not be sufficient. If you live along a lake or river, consider yourself lucky. Put the martin house on a pole at the end of the dock and you have a better chance of attracting martins than the rest of us.
The male arrives in the breeding grounds ahead of the females. He will select and defend several "rooms" until the female arrives and decides which one she wants.
Diet
Purple Martins are aerial insectivores. Their diet is limited to flying insects which they catch in flight. Their diet includes butterflies, moths, grasshoppers, cicadas, bees, wasps, June bugs and of course, mosquitoes. The belief that a Purple Martin can eat 2,000 mosquitoes a day is true as well as false. They can eat 2,000 mosquitoes a day, but rarely do. A very small percentage of their diet consists of mosquitoes. Purple Martins may be able to eat 2,000 mosquitoes a day, but rarely do. They prefer larger insects with a little more "meat" on them.
Voice
The Purple Martin's call is a series of loud, gurgling notes. They are social birds and chatter back and forth. Common Birds and their Songs
Common Birds and Their Songs (Book and Audio CD)
Amazon Price: $14.96 (as of 07/06/2009)
This book-audio package provides a unique introduction to fifty of the most familiar birds of North America and the songs they sing. Common Birds and Their Songs will be valuable to anyone interested in birds, from beginner to expert. It's the perfect gift for any birder - or anyone with a bird feeder.
Interesting Trivia
2.Nestlings are fed up to 60 times a day.
3.In isolated areas the Purple Martin may use their traditional nesting sites, abandoned woodpecker cavities, crevices along cliffs, and hollow trees.
4.Depended on insects for food, the Purple Martins are vulnerable to starvation during extended periods of cool/damp weather.
Purple Martins and other Backyard Birds
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Bird watching is one of the fastest growing outdoor activities in the world. It provides a relaxing and educational diversion from the stresses of life and work. It can be a meditative, solitary experience or a social activity. There are bird watchin...
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Next to gardening, bird watching is one of the fastest growing hobbies around. It doesn't require a trip around the world or thousands of dollars worth of specialized equipment. All you need to do is step out your back door and wait. Its cold out ri...
Audubon's Masterpieces
Audubon's masterpieces: 150 prints from the Birds of America
Amazon Price: (as of 07/06/2009)
John James Audubon spent a lifetime documenting the behavior of, and drawing the birds of North America. Audubon's Masterpieces is a collection of 150 of his best works.
Other Backyard Birds by Lizzy
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The Blue Jay
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Eastern Bluebird
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America's 100 Most Wanted Birds
America's 100 Most Wanted Birds
Amazon Price: (as of 07/06/2009)
If you want to see a gyrfalcon or a fork-tailed flycatcher, this resource might be your best help in spotting them. Mostly for serious birders intent on adding species to their life lists, America's 100 Most Wanted Birds provides detailed strategies for locating 100 of the most uncommon-to-rare bird species in the United States.
What interesting backyard birds have you seen lately?
JaguarJulie wrote...
You know, it's been a while since we've since these remarkable birds in our community.
Posted May 04, 2009
naturegirl7 wrote...
Welcome to the Naturally Native Squids group. Don't forget to add your lens links to the appropriate plexos and vote for them.
Posted October 25, 2008
JaguarJulie wrote...
Now, these are the most remarkable birds that used to congregate in a big tree out back of my hubby's previous house in this community. We've seen them recently when the tropical storm hit Jacksonville. Ah, something that the wind blew in perhaps?
Posted October 11, 2008
About the Author
Lensmaster ElizabethJeanAllen, aka Lizzy Jean, has been a member since March 16 2008, has rated 3,690 lenses, favorited 454, and has created 165 lenses from scratch. Lizzy Jean donates their royalties to Squidoo Charity Fund. This member's top-ranked page is "The Mallard Duck". See all my lenses
Why Birds Do That
Why Birds Do That: 40 Distinctive Bird Behaviors Explained & Photographed
Amazon Price: $12.44 (as of 07/06/2009)
Birds are fascinating. Their behavior is complex, often comical. Some sing while others do not. Why Birds Do That explains forty distinctive bird behaviors and is enhanced with numerous photographs. It is a must have book for both the backyard bird watcher as well as the avid birder.
Resources used to construct this page.
Peterson, T.P. & Peterson, V.M. 2002. Birds of Eastern and Central North America, Fifth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, N.Y.
Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology
Seattle Audubon Society
Purple Martins, Chipper Woods Observatory
by ElizabethJeanAllen
I tell my students to Learn from the Past, Live in the Present, and Plan for the Future. With Squidoo I can do all three.
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