Peace, Love, and Purple Martins

Recently, I was having a conversation about purple martins with a friend of mine. She had no experience with birding, so I was eager to share with her. While describing the nesting habits of purple martins, I inexplicably switched the word "colonial" with "communal". I suppose it was a forgivable slip, as the words are similar, but I chuckled at the images of a hippie commune from the '60's and '70's that popped into my head. Later that evening, I sat down and began to jot down some other ways in which purple martins remind me of hippies. The following is based on a stereotypical perception of hippies, and it is not meant to offend any current or former members of said culture.1) As I said, they are communal. Generally, a group of purple martins living in a birdhouse (or birdhouses) is referred to as a "colony", not a "commune", but you get the idea. Purple martin birdhouses are of two varieties. Most often, they are mansion-like apartment complexes with several nesting compartments. These birdhouses generally accommodate four to sixteen pairs of purple martins. Some purple martin birdhouses are shaped to resemble natural gourds. Though only one pair of martins may occupy an individual gourd, they are hung in groups, thereby providing the birds the opportunity of establishing a colony.2) They enjoy being high. I came up with this quaint pun quite quickly, which I hope helps explain its questionable taste. Purple martins like to be literally high, as in "high in the sky," and they wisely shun drug use.3) They eat organic foods. Purple martins feed exclusively on insects, which are, of course, organic. I would like to note emphatically that the use of chemical pesticides, which are not organic, may travel up the food chain and compromise the health of birds and other animals, including humans. Please try to find natural, organic methods of pest control.4) Two words: "Road trip!" Revolutionaries and hippies alike have long trekked to South America for love, adventure, or seclusion. Purple martins go for the warm climate and the ease of finding a good meal while it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere; so, in that respect, they more closely resemble the retired New Yorkers who snowbird in Florida.5) They have a hard time standing up to bullies. (And you thought I was reaching with that last one!) Purple martins are beaten up and sometimes evicted from their homes by species that are more aggressive, such as English house sparrows and European starlings. The most effective method of controlling these nuisance birds is by trapping or shooting them. (To control human bullies, one should refer to the proper authorities, as trapping and shooting are a bit excessive.) If you are a new or prospective purple martin landlord, but are hesitant to kill pest species, rest easy. Using non-lethal tactics such as wing and tail clipping can mitigate the problem enough to maintain a small colony, though the growth ceiling of the colony will be set somewhat low compared to colonies where starlings and sparrows are eliminated. That does not mean that it is a wasted effort - a small colony is better than no colony. Whatever method you choose, just make sure you are actively protecting your purple martin birdhouse from invasive species.To be sure, there are just as many ways in which purple martins are diametrically opposite from my imaginary, caricatured hippie. Purple martins are sharp, aware, and very agile. Their energetic aerobatics are a prime reason many people buy their first purple martin birdhouse. Meanwhile, my hippie friend cannot even be bothered to find a job. How he paid for his Beetle, I'll never know. Purple martins exhibit good hygiene. A martin's plumage retains its sheen, because the feathers are well cleaned and preened. Additionally, purple martins do not do their "business" where they live. In fact, they even carry the fecal sacs of their young several hundred feet away from their home. This is primarily to avoid attracting predators to the nest rather than for hygienic purposes, but, either way, it is a healthy habit. These days, one rarely sees a full-fledged, card-carrying hippie like the one herein described. Conversely, purple martin populations have increased over the last 20 to 30 years. This is due to the efforts of many good people who have put up purple martin birdhouses, defended them from pest species, and built vibrant, prolific purple martin colonies. Purple martins depend almost exclusively upon humans to provide their housing. The rehabilitation of the species has come a long way, but there is still much need for action.The goal of this article is to approach a serious subject from a humorous perspective (if only slightly so). Biodiversity is essential to the health of the environment - from contained, local ecosystems to the macroscopic, interconnected nature of, well, nature. It is imperative that we begin to take a stance of responsible stewardship to preserve the delicate balance that, in turn, will preserve us.

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