Purple Martins - See You in 2027! A sure sign of late summer are the bare Purple Martin poles at Lake Judy. Once filled with white gourds and the song and flurry of purple martins, the poles now stand quietly awaiting spring and a new nesting season. Many thanks to Ron Peoples, who dismounted and washed out all of the Purple Martin gourd
Purple Martins - See You in 2027! A sure sign of late summer are the bare Purple Martin poles at Lake Judy. Once filled with white gourds and the song and flurry of purple martins, the poles now stand quietly awaiting spring and a new nesting season. Many thanks to Ron Peoples, who dismounted and washed out all of the Purple Martin gourd houses! After they finish drying on the Sawdust Club porch, Ron and his team will store them for the season until purple martins next return to central Florida. Thank you to all those who helped with nest checks and efforts to maintain the purple martin nests! The Purple Martin team is looking for help next year with nest checks. Please contact Scott Akers or Ron Peoples if you would like to be involved with this very interesting project! Scott Akers aksc13@gmail.com Ron Peoples ebnflo2001@yahoo.com
What Is a Purple Martin?
Each year, the return of Purple Martins to The Great Outdoors is
a welcome sign that spring is on the way. These remarkable birds
are the largest members of the swallow family in North America
and are known for their graceful flight, social nature and distinc-
tive appearance. Adult males are a deep, glossy blue-purple
What Is a Purple Martin?
Each year, the return of Purple Martins to The Great Outdoors is
a welcome sign that spring is on the way. These remarkable birds
are the largest members of the swallow family in North America
and are known for their graceful flight, social nature and distinc-
tive appearance. Adult males are a deep, glossy blue-purple that
can look almost black in certain light, while females and younger
birds have more gray and brown coloring.
Purple Martins are migratory birds, spending the winter
months in South America, particularly Brazil, before making the
long journey north to their breeding grounds in the United States
and Canada. Florida is among the first places where they arrive,
with some birds appearing as early as January. Their return to the
same general nesting areas year after year makes their arrival
especially interesting to birdwatchers.
Unlike many birds that nest alone, Purple Martins enjoy
A returning favorite at TGO, the Purple Martin brings color,
graceful flight and a sure sign of spring. Photo by Chad Avian.
company. They are colonial nesters, meaning numerous pairs will
live together in specially designed multi-compartment houses or clusters of hollow gourds. In much of the eastern United
States, Purple Martins have become highly dependent on people to provide these nesting sites. Once they find a successful
location, they often return to it in following years.
Purple Martins are also impressive aerial hunters. They feed almost entirely on flying insects, catching beetles, flies,
moths, wasps, flying ants and other insects while soaring through the air. Their ability to twist, turn and change direction
in flight makes watching them feed almost as entertaining as watching them gather around their nesting houses.
During nesting season, a female typically lays several white eggs, and both parents help care for the young. As summer
progresses, the birds begin gathering in increasingly large groups in preparation for their journey south. By late summer
and early fall, most Purple Martins have departed Florida for South America.
For TGO residents, their annual return is another reminder of the remarkable wildlife that shares our community. Keep
an eye on the Purple Martin houses around TGO - you may be watching birds that have traveled thousands of miles to
return to a familiar summer home.