What Are Purple Martins?
A special thank you to Mr. Joe Dellinger for his generosity in allowing us to use his photos. We are most appreciative. Meet Joe on his webpage. He is a remarkable young man. The Purple Martin is a beautiful songbird, the largest North American swallow and the only species of martins on this continent. While spending a portion of every year in the backyards of those who are devoted to it, this steely and iridescent blue-black bird also spends its winters in the Amazon River basin and as far south as the So Paulo State in Brazil. Each spring, flying on the southern edge of warm weather advancement, Purple Martins faithfully return to the backyards of their landlords (the people who put up martin housing) in North America for their breeding season. Purple Martin adults traditionally return as warm spring weather returns. Typically, adults return to their previous successful homesites. Adult martins are followed by many waves of younger birds, or subadults, six weeks after the adults. The
