The Purple Martin

Even though the Purple Martin is a part of the Swallow family, this one

The Purple Martin of the Swallow family, photo taken from Chuck's Purple Martin Page

deserves special mentioning because not only is it the largest North American Swallow, it is also the only Swallow with a black belly. The Purple Martin is a favorite in the area, because they prefer to live in bird-houses that local residents set up especially for them. It is not only these reasons that make them the favorite swallow, for the birds are truly beautiful, with bluish-black heads and backs accompanied by the swallow trait, the split tail. While the male has a black belly, you can pick out the females by their greyish-white undersides and a lighter blue back and head. Their song is a throaty tchew-wew or pew, pew sound. They migrate to South America in the winter, but in other seasons can be spotted in or near farms, open or semi-open country, often near water, and as said earlier they are very attracted to Martin Houses.