THE PURPLE MARTIN 



Swallow Family — Hirundinidce 



Length: About 8 inches, the largest of the six common species 

 of swallow. Wings nearly 6 inches long — very 

 large when spread. 



Male: Glossy purplish-black Iiead, body, and shoulders; wings 

 and tail duller. No reddish-brown or white. Tail 

 forked. 



Female: Bluish-black head and back; black wings and tail; 

 brownish-gray throat, neck, and sides, mottled with 

 white-tipped feathers; belly, grayish-white. 



Young": Similar to female. 



Note: A sweet, rich, joyous warble. Mr. Forbush describes 

 it as "a full-toned chirruping carol, musical and 

 clear, beginning peuo-peuo-peuo." ^ 



Habitat: Farm-lands and the vicinity of dwellings shaded by 

 trees. These birds were formerly more numerous 

 in the North than at present. They are more abun- 

 dant in the South than in the North. 



Nests: Made of twigs, grass, straw, or leaves, placed in gourds 

 or maftin-houses. Martins are very social and 

 seem to revel in large "bird-apartment-houses." 

 They formerly nested in hollow trees or caves. 



Hange; North and South America, except Pacific Coast region. 

 They breed in southern Canada, east of the Rockies; 

 in the United States from Montana and Idaho, south 

 to the Gulf Coast, Florida, and Mexico. They win- 

 ter in Brazil. A western martin is found on the 

 Pacific Coast. 



P 



URPLE MARTINS have long been favorites. Mr. 

 Dutcher tells us that Indians, keen observers of 



1 From "Useful Birds and Tlieir Protection," by E. H. Forbush, 

 page 318. 



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