DESERT PURPLE MARTIN

Welcome! Here you will find an in depth look into the desert Purple Martin, one of three subspecies of Purple Martin.

The Desert Purple Martin (Progne subis hesperia) is a distinct subspecies that times its nesting to monsoon abundance and nests almost exclusively in saguaros or other large columnar cacti. These are “wild” martins that use naturally occurring cavities, while the eastern subspecies is said to be entirely reliant on human-made nestboxes. Desert Purple Martins are extremely understudied with large gaps in knowledge about their nesting, migration, and wintering grounds.

Discover the links hidden throughout this image to learn about desert Purple Martin identification, life history, habitat and current research. Happy exploring!