- Progne subis
Identification
7-8 1/2" (18-22 cm). The adult make is a dark steel-blue. Females and Juveniles are duller, with grey underparts. Similar in shape to the European Starling. It takes 2 years for these birds to attain full adult breeding plumage. This can make it difficult to identify the birds.
The call is tchew-wew, or pew pew.
Distribution
Breeds from British Columbia, central interior Canada, and Nova Scotia, south to Mexico. Migrates south to Brazil. Common in the state of São Paulo. Accidental vagrant to the UK and to Argentina.
Taxonomy
Polytypic. Consists of three subspecies[1]:
- P. s. subis - much of eastern 3/4 North America from Canada to Mexico, winters in Amazonian Brazil
- P. s. arboricola - western North America, winters in Atlantic SE Brazil
- P. s. hesperia - Arizona and western Mexico, winters in South America
Habitat
Open woodlands, residential areas, and agricultural land.
Behaviour
These birds catch insects from the air.
Their nest is made of grass and plant material placed in a cavity in a tree and 4-5 white eggs are laid.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2012. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2012. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Purple Martin. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 27 December 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Purple_Martin
