414 Birds of Colorado 



Distribution. — Breeding throughout temperate North America, 

 except the Pacific coast region, from Xova Scotia, Manitoba and 

 Montana southwards to Florida and the Mexican plateau, south in 

 winter to Venezuela and Brazil. 



The Purple Martin is a rare bird in Colorado and quite local in its 

 distribution. It seldom occurs along the eastern slopes of the movm- 

 tains and is not represented in the Aiken collection by Colorado 

 examples. It was, however, found breeding by Aiken at the head 

 waters of the Apishapa Creek in June, 1872, and also at Brewster and 

 Colby in western Kansas. On the western slope of the mountains 

 it is more common, it was seen by Warren (08) at Mud Springs, 8,800 

 feet in Rio Blanco co., and also near Newcastle, while Cooke states 

 that it is common at Grand Junction and breeds in the river banks 

 near by.* 



Morrison reports that it is common at Fort Lewis in La Plata co. 

 and arrives there late. Warren (06) was told that it had formerly 

 been noticed at Monon in Baca co., but that it had not bred there. 

 Cary has recently met with it on the White River plateau, 25 miles 

 south-east of Meeker at about 8,500 feet in August, and on the Un- 

 compaghre Butte in Mesa co. at 9,000 feet in July. No arrival dates 

 for Colorado appear to be recorded, but Goss states that they reach 

 Kansas at the end of March or beginning of April, and leave before 

 the middle of September. 



Habits. — The Purple Martin is a much-welcomed and 

 famihar harbmger of spring in the east, where bird- 

 houses are put out for them in the hope that they may 

 be tempted to remain and breed. But in the wilder 

 regions they resort to the holes of Woodpeckers, or to 

 natural cavities m the trees, to nest and rear their young. 

 Morrison states that at Fort Lewis they nested in hollow 

 trees, or in the latticed ventUators of the barracks. 

 They are noisy birds, keeping up a constant chattering, 

 especially early in the morning, and their attempt at 

 song, though not very musical, is quite pleasing. Like 

 other Swallows their food is taken on the wing exclusively, 

 and consists of insects, especially the larger kinds of 

 beetles. 



* This statement rests on the evidence of Miss Myra Eggleston and is controverted 

 by Sullivan (Rockwell 08). 



