In December of 2021, we installed a new Purple Martin house at Hundred Acre Hollows. This is something that we have been striving for and has been made possible from all of our fundraisers, thank you for all your support! Our treasurer Bert Alm and some other volunteers set up and assembled the pole and winch assembly. Our team of Junior Rangers put together the individual gourds, which were then attached to the base structure. We are currently anxiously waiting for some Purple Martins to arrive and will have an update as soon as we have some new tenants. Read below for some more information on Purple Martins!
Nesting
Purple Martins on the east coast of the United States are completely dependent on housing supplied by humans, such as the condo that is installed at Hundred Acre Hollows. In the western part of the United States, you may find purple martins nesting in natural cavities.
Migration
Purple Martins migrate long distances as they migrate across the Gulf of Mexico to the coast from Texas to Florida. They spend the winter months in South America, mostly in the Amazon Basin. Purple Martin scouts start arriving as early as January to select a spot for their colony to nest. The rest of the colony will then arrive a few weeks later. The Purple Martins migrate to North America for breeding, so once the young Purple Martins become juveniles or subadults they will return to South America for the winter months.
Coloration
Male Purple Martins have dark blue to purple feathers over their bodies, with brown to black wings and tails. Female Purple Martins have duller colors having a variety of shades of gray on their chest and head with a lighter colored lower belly. Juvenile Purple Martins also have similar color patterns as the adult females.
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