The western subspecies of Purple Martin is at risk in BC,
because their numbers declined drastically in the last half
of the 20th C. They have been displaced from nesting cavities
and boxes on land by House Sparrows and Starlings. Changes in
building design and habitat loss associated with land development
also have decreased their nesting opportunities. The PuMa Project
is helping them to recover by means of nest boxes mounted on
pilings over the water, where competition from starlings and
sparrows is minimized. Mayne Island's Martin colonies join more
than 30 others on the east side of southern Vancouver island
and the coastal lower mainland.
Purple Martins spend the winter in the southern hemisphere
and return to North America to breed in late spring. They are
tireless insectivores, beautiful in flight and a pleasure to
see and hear. The photo shows a handsome adult male on the porch
(with a band on his leg) and a female on the top of their nest
box. GBEARS graciously allowed us to use this photo, which was
taken by Carley Colclough (July 2004). If you click on the audio
button, you'll hear a sample of their delightful chatter. We
are indebted to John Neville, who kindly allowed us to use this
recording from his CD, Bird Songs of Canada's West Coast (1999)
[http://www.nevillerecording.com].
For more information about the BC Purple Martin Stewardship
and Recovery Program, visit the GBEARS website [[www.georgiabasin.ca].
For more information about the project on Mayne Island, contact
Herbie or Bernard Rochet
.
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