Common Nesting Birds

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Purple Martin (Progne subis )


Photo © Cameron Rognan

Purple Martin nest

Photo © RenĂ© Corado

Purple Martin eggs

Photo © RenĂ© Corado

Adult male

Photo © Reanna Thomas | Macaulay Library

Female/immature male

Photo © Elizabeth Winter | Macaulay Library

Male and female

Photo © Alex Eberts | Macaulay Library

Adult male

Photo © Ryan Sanderson | Macaulay Library

Female/immature male

Photo © Tom Johnson | Macaulay Library

Female/immature male

Photo © Nick Dorian | Macaulay Library

Adult male

Photo © Andrew Dreelin | Macaulay Library

Female/immature male

Photo © Sam Zhang | Macaulay Library

Male and female

Photo © Tammy Conklin | Macaulay Library

Adult female

Photo © Mike Fish | Macaulay Library

Habitat

Photo © Mike Sanders | Macaulay Library

Song

© Matthew D. Medler | Macaulay Library

Song

© William R. Fish | Macaulay Library

Song

© Geoffrey A. Keller | Macaulay Library

Song

© Jay McGowan | Macaulay Library

Dawn song

© Eugene Morton | Macaulay Library

Calls

© Wil Hershberger | Macaulay Library

Calls

© William R. Fish | Macaulay Library

Calls

© Jay McGowan | Macaulay Library

Calls

© Nathan Pieplow | Macaulay Library

Calls

© Brad Walker | Macaulay Library

When To Look

Source: Birds of the World

Where To Find It

Habitats

desert

lake

town

Substrates

Nestbox or Birdhouse

Dead Tree Cavity

What You'll Find

Nest Type

cavity

Chick

Altricial

Clutch Size

3
4
5
8

Nest Height

40 ft
5 ft

Nesting Statistics

Incubation Period

15-18
days

Brooding Period

28-29
days

Useful Hints

  • The Purple Martin is a colony-nesting species, readily using nest boxes with multiple compartments (more common in the east) or individual hollowed gourds strung close together (more common in the west).
  • Purple Martins compete with House Sparrows and European Starlings for nesting sites. By keeping compartments closed until Purple Martins return to their breeding habitat, you can help reduce this competition.
  • The best place to install a martin house is in an open area near water.

Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Cornell Lab of Ornithology