purple martin

noun

1. a large American swallow, Progne subis, the male of which is blue-black.

Word History and Origins

Origin of purple martin¹

An Americanism dating back to 1735–45

Example Sentences

The zoo’s community science programs organize people tromping around marshes in search of amphibian eggs and monitoring nesting purple martins along the Tacoma waterfront.

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According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, house sparrows have been known to attack many bird species, including bluebirds, purple martins and tree swallows.

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A boardwalk meandering through the landscape will be outfitted with hammocks and a feature billed as a bird blind, where office workers can spy purple martins.

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A boardwalk meandering through the landscape will be outfitted with hammocks and a feature billed as a bird blind, where office workers can spy purple martins.

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The purple martin “landlords” are rewarded with “a family-like bond with the birds who return to the same colony year after year like clockwork,” Siegrist said.

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