Purple Martin
Progne subis
The Purple Martin (Progne subis) is a common swallow found in 37 countries, weighing about 54 g. The purple martin is a passerine bird in the swallow family Hirundinidae.
About the Purple Martin
The purple martin is a passerine bird in the swallow family Hirundinidae. It is the largest swallow in North America. Despite its name, the purple martin is not truly purple. The dark blackish-blue feathers have an iridescent sheen caused by the diffraction of incident light giving them a bright blue to navy blue or deep purple appearance. In some light, they may even appear green in color.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
With an average length of 20 cm (7.9 in) and a wingspan of up to 38 cm (15 in), the purple martin is the largest amongst the 90 odd species in the family Hirundinidae. Measurement ranges: Length: 7.5–7.9 in (19–20 cm) Weight: 1.6–2.1 oz (45–60 g) Wingspan: 15.3–16.1 in (39–41 cm) Purple martins are sexually dimorphic. Adult males are entirely black with a glossy steel blue sheen, the only swallow in North America with such coloration. Adult females are dark on top with some steel blue sheen, and lighter underparts. Adults have a slightly forked tail.
What the Purple Martin sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Argentina, Caribbean Netherlands, Dominican Republic, France, United Kingdom, Haiti, Puerto Rico.
When to see it
Best months: March, April, May, June, July, August, with peak activity in May. It is a summer visitor species across most of its range.
Watch the Purple Martin on live cams
Browse all 118 bird cams worldwide, live and seasonal, by region and species.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Purple Martin?
- With an average length of 20 cm (7.9 in) and a wingspan of up to 38 cm (15 in), the purple martin is the largest amongst the 90 odd species in the family Hirundinidae. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Purple Martin?
- The Purple Martin is a small sized bird weighing about 54 g.
- Where can you see a Purple Martin?
- The Purple Martin occurs in 37 countries, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, Belize and Costa Rica.
- What does a Purple Martin sound like?
- You can listen to 3 field recordings of the Purple Martin on this page, contributed to xeno-canto under open licences.
- What birds look similar to a Purple Martin?
- The Purple Martin is most easily confused with the Grey-breasted Martin, the Brown-chested Martin and the Southern Martin.
- Is the Purple Martin endangered?
- The Purple Martin is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Purple Martin for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
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