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Bird name:

Purple Martin

Progne subisOrder: PASSERIFORMES Family: Swallows (Hirundinidae)
Codes: Common Name: PUMA Scientific Name: PROSUB ITIS Taxonomic No.: 178464
Purple-Martin Head Illustration

Head

Topo Map: Swallow-like Head
  • Bill Shape: All-purpose
  • Eye Color: Dark brown.
  • Head Pattern: Plain
  • Crown Color: Glossy dark purple-blue
  • Forehead Color: Glossy dark purple-blue
  • Nape Color: Glossy dark purple-blue
  • Throat Color: Glossy dark purple-blue
  • Cere color: No Data
Splitbar

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Purple-Martin Body Illustration

Body

Topo Map: Swallow-like Body
  • Length Range: 18-22 cm (7.25-8.5 in)
  • Weight: 48-57 g (1.7-2 oz)
  • Size: Size 2. Small (5 - 9 in)
  • Color: Blue, Purple or Violet
  • Underparts: Glossy dark purple-blue
  • Upperparts: Glossy dark purple-blue
  • Back Pattern: Solid
  • Belly Pattern: Solid
  • Breast Pattern: Solid
Purple-Martin Flight Illustration

Flight

Topo Map: Swallow-like Flight
  • Flight Pattern: Strong with graceful flight.
  • Wingspan Range: 39-43 cm (15.5-16.75 in)
  • Wing Shape: Pointed-Wings
  • Tail Shape: Notched Tail
  • Tail Pattern: Solid
  • Upper Tail: Black
  • Under Tail: Black
  • Leg Color: Black
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Family Swallow (Hirundinidae)_blue
Species Progne subis
Length7.25 - 8.5 Inches
Wingspan16.125 Inches

Purple Martin

Purple Martin: Large, vocal swallow with glossy dark purple-blue body and forked tail. It is the largest North American swallow. Black bill, legs and feet. Stong, graceful flight, alternates a few rapid wing beats with long glides. Catches and eats insects in flight and also forages on the ground.

● Song: "tee-tee-tee"

● Foraging & Feeding: Purple Martin: Feeds on flying insects; catches prey in mid-air, flying at up to 45 mph or more when foraging. Weather unfavorable for insect activity lasting three or more days puts it at risk of starvation.

● Breeding & nesting: Purple Martin: Three to eight white eggs are laid in a cavity lined with mud, grass, and other plant material. Most nest in colonies in man-made birdhouses in developed areas and parklands. Incubation ranges from 15 to 18 days and is carried out by the female.

● Similar species: Purple Martin: Male is distinct; female is larger and flaps more slowly than Bank and Northern Rough-winged swallows.

Flight Pattern

Strong with graceful flight.
Purple-Martin Body Illustration
● Range & Habitat: Purple Martin: Breeds from British Columbia, central interior Canada, and Nova Scotia southward, but is absent from the interior western mountains and Great Basin. Spends winters in the tropics. Preferred habitats include open woodlands, residential areas, and agricultural lands.
BreedingMonogamous, Colonial
PopulationDeclining
MigrationMigratory
Weight1.7 - 2 Ounces
Swallow-like HeadX
Swallow-like BodyX
Swallow-like FlightX
4 and 6 letter alpha codesX

The four letter common name alpha code is is derived from the first two letters of the common first name and the first two letters of common last name. The six letter species name alpha code is derived from the first three letters of the scientific name (genus) and the first three letters of the scientific name (species). See (1) below for the rules used to create the codes..

Four-letter (for English common names) and six-letter (for scientific names) species alpha codes were developed by Pyle and DeSante (2003, North American Bird-Bander 28:64-79) to reflect A.O.U. taxonomy and nomenclature (A.O.U. 1998) as modified by Supplements 42 (Auk 117:847-858, 2000) and 43 (Auk 119:897-906, 2002). The list has been updated by Pyle and DeSante to reflect changes reported by the A.O.U from 2003 through 2006.

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ITIS CodesX

The Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) was established in the mid-1990�s as a cooperative project among several federal agencies to improve and expand upon taxonomic data (known as the NODC Taxonomic Code) maintained by the National Oceanographic Data Center (NODC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

To find the ITIS page for a bird species go to the ITIS web site advanced search and report page at http://www.itis.gov/advanced_search.html. You can enter the TSN or the common name of the bird. It will return the ITIS page for that bird. Another way to obtain the ITIS page is to use the Google search engine. Enter the string ITIS followed by the taxonomic ID, for example "ITIS 178041" will return the page for the Allen's Hummingbird.

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Parts of a Standing birdX
Head Feathers and MarkingsX
Parts of a Flying birdX