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Progne subis

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Purple Martin

G5Secure Found in 32 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.104037
Element CodeABPAU01010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassAves
OrderPasseriformes
FamilyHirundinidae
GenusProgne
Other Common Names
Andorinha-Azul, Andorinha-Púrpura (PT) Golondrina Azulnegra, Golondrina Purpúrea (ES) Hirondelle noire (FR) purple martin (EN)
Concept Reference
American Ornithologists' Union (AOU). 1998. Check-list of North American birds. Seventh edition. American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. [as modified by subsequent supplements and corrections published in The Auk]. Also available online: http://www.aou.org/.
Taxonomic Comments
Species limits in this complex are uncertain. Constitutes a superspecies with P. cryptoleuca, P. dominicensis, P. sinaloae, P. chalybea, and P. modesta (including P. elegans) (AOU 1998). See Sheldon and Winkler (1993) for information on intergeneric phylogenetic relationships of Hirundininae based on DNA-DNA hybridization.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-04-09
Change Date1996-12-02
Edition Date2014-03-11
Edition AuthorsJue, Sally S.
Range Extent>2,500,000 square km (greater than 1,000,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences> 300
Rank Reasons
This species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). The population trend appears to be stable, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size is extremely large, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern. (Birdlife International, 2014).
Range Extent Comments
BREEDING: west of Cascades and Sierra Nevada from southwestern British Columbia south to northwestern Mexico and Arizona; east of Rocky Mountains from northeastern British Columbia, central Alberta, east through northern Minnesota, northern Wisconsin, southern Ontario, to Nova Scotia, south to Gulf coast and southern Florida. NON-BREEDING: locally from northern South America south to northern Bolivia, northern Argentina, and southern Brazil, east of Andes; apparently mainly in southern Brazil (Hilty and Brown 1986, Stiles and Skutch 1989, Ridgely and Tudor 1989).
Occurrences Comments
This species is represented by a large number of occurrences (subpopulations). It has an extremely large range and extremely large population size. Partners in Flight (2013) estimate its global population to be seven million.
Threat Impact Comments
As a secondary-cavity nester, the Purple Martin has suffered from the introduction into North America of European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) and House Sparrows (Passer domesticus), which compete with it for nest sites throughout much of the eastern half of the continent. Without human intervention and management of colony sites, starlings and sparrows can cause local extinction of martins by appropriating their nest cavities and making them permanently unsuitable for martin use. Adverse weather kills more Purple Martins than all other sources of mortality combined. Birds cannot find insects in cold weather, and when such conditions extend >3?4 d, mortality can be substantial. California population is at risk of extirpation by 2031 in part due to starlings and human activities (Airola and Jesse 2003, Airola and Kopp 2009, White et al. 2011). (Tarof and Brown, 2013).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

A wide variety of open and partly open situations, frequently near water or around towns (Subtropical and Temperate zones, in winter also Tropical Zone) (AOU 1983). South America: congregates in roosts in city plazas and parks (Ridgely and Tudor 1989). In west and formerly in east nests in tree cavities, abandoned woodpecker holes (including those in saguaro cacti), crevices in rocks; in east and midwest now nests in bird-houses and gourds put up by humans.

Ecology

During spring and summer populations periodically decimated due to prolonged cold, wet weather, and lack of insect food. Often local in distribution. Forms large roosting flocks at night after nesting season and before southward migration.

Reproduction

In southern Arizona, eggs are laid in July (Stutchbury 1991). Mating system involves monogamous pairing with extrapair fertilizations by older males. Clutch size is 3-8 (usually 4-5). Incubation lasts 15-16 days, by female. Male guards nest when females goes off to feed. Young are tended by both adults, leave nest 24-28 days after hatching (Harrison 1978), return to nest to roost for a few days after fledging. Usually 1, sometimes 2 broods per season (also reported as only 1 nesting per year). Depending on the location, a few or many of the breeding males are one-year-olds. Most individuals breed for 2-3 seasons. Usually nests in colonies in east and midwest. In natural sites, breeds in single pairs or small groups.
Terrestrial Habitats
Woodland - HardwoodWoodland - ConiferShrubland/chaparralSavannaGrassland/herbaceousDesertCropland/hedgerowSuburban/orchardAerial
Palustrine Habitats
HERBACEOUS WETLANDRiparianAerial
Other Nations (2)
CanadaN5B
ProvinceRankNative
ManitobaS4BYes
Nova ScotiaSHBYes
OntarioS3BYes
AlbertaS4BYes
SaskatchewanS5BYes
QuebecS2BYes
New BrunswickS1BYes
British ColumbiaS3BYes
United StatesN5B
ProvinceRankNative
KansasS5BYes
New HampshireS1BYes
ArizonaS2BYes
Rhode IslandS3BYes
MarylandS5BYes
IllinoisS5Yes
District of ColumbiaS1B,S5NYes
North DakotaSNRBYes
AlabamaS5BYes
KentuckyS5BYes
IowaS5B,S5NYes
New MexicoS3B,S4NYes
CaliforniaS3Yes
WyomingS1BYes
WashingtonS3BYes
West VirginiaS3BYes
OhioS5Yes
DelawareS5BYes
South DakotaS5BYes
LouisianaS5BYes
North CarolinaS5BYes
GeorgiaS5Yes
MaineS3BYes
VirginiaS5Yes
MississippiS5BYes
VermontS3BYes
ColoradoS3BYes
South CarolinaS5BYes
NebraskaS4Yes
IndianaS4BYes
FloridaS5BYes
MassachusettsS1Yes
OregonS3BYes
MinnesotaS3BYes
New JerseyS3B,S4NYes
PennsylvaniaS3B,S4MYes
TennesseeS5Yes
UtahS2BYes
TexasS5BYes
MichiganS3Yes
ArkansasS4B,S4NYes
Navajo NationS2BYes
WisconsinS2BYes
ConnecticutS3BYes
MissouriSNRBYes
OklahomaSNRBYes
New YorkS4BYes
Roadless Areas (32)
Arizona (4)
AreaForestAcres
Butterfly Roadless AreaCoronado National Forest42,296
East Clear CreekCoconino National Forest1,613
GaliuroCoronado National Forest28,333
Salt HouseApache-Sitgreaves National Forests21,848
Arkansas (1)
AreaForestAcres
Bear MountainOuachita National Forest1,910
California (6)
AreaForestAcres
Black ButteLos Padres National Forest5,116
CajonSan Bernardino National Forest7,548
Chalk PeakLos Padres National Forest7,472
Cucamonga BSan Bernardino National Forest11,933
Cutca ValleyCleveland National Forest14,530
Sill HillCleveland National Forest5,294
Colorado (2)
AreaForestAcres
HermosaSan Juan NF148,103
Storm PeakSan Juan NF57,617
Montana (1)
AreaForestAcres
Big Snowy Mountains WsaLewis and Clark National Forest88,003
New Mexico (2)
AreaForestAcres
Jacks CreekSanta Fe National Forest740
Pecos WS RiverSanta Fe National Forest5,396
North Carolina (1)
AreaForestAcres
Pond Pine BCroatan National Forest2,961
Oregon (5)
AreaForestAcres
EagleMt. Hood National Forest16,841
South KalmiopsisSiskiyou National Forests104,477
TahkenitchSiuslaw National Forest5,799
TenmileSiuslaw National Forest10,818
WoahinkSiuslaw National Forest5,309
Utah (8)
AreaForestAcres
418026Uinta National Forest14,038
418027Uinta National Forest13,884
418028Uinta National Forest34,002
418029Uinta National Forest15,673
Lamb CanyonWasatch-Cache National Forest4,337
Mollens HollowWasatch-Cache National Forest17,690
Sugar PineWasatch-Cache National Forest5,600
Upper South ForkWasatch-Cache National Forest16,811
Washington (1)
AreaForestAcres
Bear CreekGifford Pinchot National Forest7,980
Wyoming (1)
AreaForestAcres
Big SandstoneMedicine Bow-Routt National Forest7,180
References (44)
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