By Jay Keck, Habitat Education Manager for Chapin Magazine

“Wanna go see the Martins?” That’s a question I loved to hear my dad ask during the summer while growing up on the south side of Lake Murray. It reminds me of all the small things you don’t know are special when you’re young, like taking the folding chairs out to the boat (the only permanent chair on our pontoon boat, which we named “Tin Can,” was my father’s “Captain’s” chair.) It reminds me of mom’s snack mix loaded with nuts and those slightly burnt bits of rice Chex that were lucky enough to soak up some of the butter in which they were cooked. It reminds me of boat-created summer breezes, orange Chek soda, and those unforgettable and unbeatable Lake Murray Sunsets (which are indeed, fyi, totally worthy of capital letters.) And then, of course, I’m reminded of the frenetic bird tornado the Purple Martins create when they congregate each evening at Bomb Island. What a sight! Isn’t it amazing that all those memories were created because of a bird? That is just one example of the power of nature, and our much-needed connection to it.

Photo of Purple Martins at Bomb Island, by Zach Steinhauser

But the Purple Martin isn’t just any bird. It’s a fast flying, insect eating, cavity nesting, transcontinental migrating, purple-fighter-jet of a bird. Visually, the male Purple Martin is a stunning bluish-purple, but you’ll need a good pair of binoculars to pull out the vibrant colors of the bird, which are at their brightest when reflecting the sun’s light. The female and young males are brown, though young males can have purple feathers on their chest and belly. Purple Martins are the largest member of the swallow family here in North America, and measure about 7.5 inches in length, have a 15–16-inch wingspan, and an average weight of 1.97 ounces.

Banner image by Vance Solseth