Purple Martin Photo Gallery
Adult male
Large, broad-chested swallow with a slightly hooked bill and long, tapered wings. Adult males are iridescent, dark blue-purple overall with brown-black wings and tail.
© Reanna Thomas | Macaulay LibraryOhio, May 04, 2019Female/immature male
Large and chunky swallow. Females/immatures are duller, with variable amounts of gray on the head and chest and a dingy lower belly. Note gray collar around the neck.
© Elizabeth Winter | Macaulay LibraryNebraska, May 23, 2017Female with young
Purple Martins commonly utilize artificial nest box colonies when raising their young.
© Matthew D. Medler | Macaulay LibraryNew York, September 07, 2014Not all videos have soundAdult male
In flight, note long, tapered wings and forked tail. Adult males are dark purplish overall, but often appear black.
© Ryan Sanderson | Macaulay LibraryIndiana, April 12, 2020Adult male
Adult males are iridescent, dark blue-purple overall, but often look black.
© Matthew D. Medler | Macaulay LibraryNew York, April 25, 2015Not all videos have soundFemale/immature male
Females/immatures in flight look brownish below with a paler speckled belly.
© Tom Johnson | Macaulay LibraryNew Jersey, May 18, 2014Female/immature male
Large and long-bodied with a small head and bill. Females/immatures are duller, with variable amounts of gray on the head and chest and a dingy lower belly with variable amounts of speckling.
© Nick Dorian | Macaulay LibraryConnecticut, August 11, 2017Adult/immature
A Purple Martin's dark body, long wings, and notched tail are all easily visible in flight.
© Brian Sullivan | Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, April 20, 2012Not all videos have soundAdult male
In the East, nests with other Purple Martins in artificial nest boxes clustered together in groups.
© Andrew Dreelin | Macaulay LibraryGeorgia, April 01, 2017Female/immature
Often perches on wires and other manmade structures to rest, preen, or sunbathe.
© Larry Arbanas | Macaulay LibraryTexas, April 20, 2008Not all videos have soundAdult female
In the West, nests in holes in trees with dozens of martins nesting nearby.
© Mike Fish | Macaulay LibraryUtah, July 08, 2017Compare with Similar Species
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Species in This Family
Swallows(Order: Passeriformes, Family: Hirundinidae)
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