The Purple Martin is yet another great sign of spring. These have been turning up on the West Coast since March, but are just about peaking right now. They come from as far away as Brazil– more than 5,000 miles. The Purple Martin, the largest of the swallows on our continent, is one of America’s favorite birds. But while the Purple Martin is common and widespread in the east, it is relatively rare and sparsely distributed in the west. Historical declines and the small population size led the California Department of Fish and Game to designate the Purple Martin a Species of Special Concern. The bird’s unique relationship with people is illustrated by the fact that in the east, the bird nests almost exclusively in man-made boxes. In California, however, Purple Martins nest mainly in natural cavities in trees (the notable exception being the population in the Sacramento area, which uses holes in highway overpasses.). Another interesting fact about the Purple Martin is that they tend to rapidly knock down any mosquito problem you might have. Below the fold, we’ve got an eBird map from the end of April, which shows their distribution along the Western United States. (photo by K. Schneider)