Purple Martin
Progne subis
Habitat
Ground
Diet
Invertebrate
Active Time
Diurnal
Size
54 g
About This Species
Look for these large, dark-blue swallows around nest boxes and colonial housing structures in open areas near water, where they are often seen gliding and gathering in groups, especially in eastern North America where they rely heavily on human-provided nest sites. Listen for their rich, gurgling song, often given from a perch near the nesting colony. Spring through midsummer, during the breeding season, is the best time to see them at active colony sites.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- A distance of around 10 metres from nest boxes is generally sufficient to avoid disturbing incubating adults, and nest box monitoring should follow established guidelines rather than frequent unscheduled checks.
- Migratory bird protections apply across its range in Canada, the United States and into its wintering grounds in South America, though specific rules differ between countries.
- Avoid disturbing colonies during poor weather, when adults are already under stress finding enough flying insects to feed young.
LCAvesPasseriformesHirundinidae
Seasonal Activity
2,075,432 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Hirundinidae
Traits
- Diet
- Invertebrate
- Foraging
- Ground
- Activity
- Diurnal
- Body mass
- 54 g
Photo
(c) Tom Austin, some rights reserved (CC BY)
CC-BY-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.