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Purple Martins arrive in Florida
Scout Reports Logged Online
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In the birding world, few species generate more excitement than does the "Purple Martin," a swallow that is arriving now throughout Florida, with reports of "scouts" logged almost daily online.
Purple martins, the largest of the swallows in North America, are totally dependent on man-made housing and faithfully return to the same locations each year, so it's understandable that human "landlords" anxiously await the return of "their" birds from wintering grounds in South America.
The earliest arrivals to the eastern U.S. occur in Florida and dates/locations are watched by martin enthusiasts nationally on an online data base - at www.purplemartin.org - maintained by the Purple Martin Conservation Association (PMCA), a nonprofit conservation organization.
The earliest arriving martin in Florida this season occurred Dec. 22 in Naples, followed on Dec. 23 in Punta Gorda and Jan. 2 in Pembroke Pines.
While the southern-most locations tend to get the earliest arrivals, purple martins begin arriving in central and northern Florida after about January 15, according to a PMCA migration map. Migration is especially drawn out in Florida, with arrivals continuing into May.
Purple martins nest in colonies in gourds hung from large racks and in multicompartment bird houses placed in open areas in yards. Colonies have returned to housing each year at golf courses at Walt Disney World for over a decade.
Adult male purple martins are glossy blue-black in color, which they obtain at two years of age. Females are a bit drab, with a gray breast. One-yearold martins - so called "sub adults" - begin arriving 10 to 12 weeks later than the older birds in the South. These younger birds are more easily attracted to new housing locations.
The term "scout" is a misnomer, according to the PMCA. These earliest arrivals are simply experienced mature martins that have made the journey before and are eager to reclaim their housing.
The PMCA recently analyzed long-term data from the North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) and found that - thanks to devoted men and women who erect and maintain housing - purple martin populations overall are holding steady in North America.
For details about purple martins, visit purplemartin.org or call 814- 833-7656.
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