Name: Purple Martin

Description: A popular tenant of backyard bird houses, the Purple Martin is the largest North American Swallow. The Purple Martin is unusual among birds that use nest boxes because several pairs will nest in a single box with multiple compartments. It breeds from Alberta to New Brunswick, southward to central Texas and Florida as well as in scattered locations along the Pacific Coast, and in the deserts and mountains of southwestern United States into Mexico. It winters in South America, in lowlands east of the Andes.

Other Names: Gourd Martin, Western Martin, House Martin and Black Martin

Color: The Purple Martin in entirely glossy purple-black, above and below. The female has a duller back with contrasting gray breast and belly.

Sound: The Purple Martin's song is a series of musical chirps interspersed with raspy twitters.

Preferred Environment: The Purple Martin breeds wherever nest houses are provided, especially near water and large open areas. It also nests in the saguaro cactus, and in western mountain forests around beaver ponds.

Nesting Habits: The male and female Purple Martin cooperate equally in building the nest out of mud, grass, plant stems and twigs. They build in birdhouses, tree holes, a hole in a cactus or in crevices of cliffs or buildings.

Food Preference: Purple Martins are voracious insect-eaters, catching flying insects while swooping over open fields.