* Purple Martins are the largest member of the swallow family, measuring 8 inches long. Most of this length is due to their extremely well developed wings, the tips of which often reach beyond the ends of their tail. They are master fliers which accounts for their superb wing development.
* Adult males are a very dark steel blue to almost black. The reflection of the sun off their dark feathers gives their feathers a purplish hue. Females also have dark backs but don't have the black bellies like the mature males. Female undersides are of a mottled gray. Fledglings and first year males are similar in appearance to females.
* Purple Martins are the only North American Species of songbird entirely dependent upon human-supplied nesting cavities for reproduction.
* Purple Martins have lovely warbling vocalizations. Martins have a huge repertoire of songs, many of which are best described as a chortle. Males have a unique clicking sound at the end of their song. A house full of chattering martins is lovely to the human ear and a wonderful summer experience.
* Purple Martins are champion insect eaters. They catch all of their insect prey while in flight. They are extremely agile fliers with soaring, diving flights of breath-taking grace. Common items in their diet include midges, flies, horseflies, wasps, bees, beetles, mayflies, stinkbugs, plant hoppers, grasshoppers, cicadas, moths and of course mosquitoes.
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