Purple Martin
Progne subis
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderPasseriformes
- FamilyHirundinidae (Swallows and Martins)
- GenusProgne (New World Martins)
- SpeciesProgne subis (Purple Martin)
The purple martin (Progne subis) is a passerine bird in the swallow family Hirundinidae. It is the largest swallow in North America. Despite its name, the purple martin is not truly purple. The dark blackish-blue feathers have an iridescent sheen caused by the diffraction of incident light giving them a bright blue to navy blue or deep purple appearance. In some light, they may even appear green in color. They are migratory, with their breeding range including all of the eastern United States and southeastern Canada, as well as the coastal Pacific Northwest, Baja California, Arizona, and New Mexico. Wikipedia →
5–10% of wildlife watchers report a Purple Martin sighting in Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, based on 49 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Calakmul Biosphere Reserve
Gray-breasted Martin
Progne chalybea
Mangrove Swallow
Tachycineta albilinea
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Stelgidopteryx serripennis
Barn Swallow
Hirundo rustica
Tree Swallow
Tachycineta bicolor
Cave Swallow
Petrochelidon fulva
Cliff Swallow
Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
Brown Jay
Psilorhinus morio
Magnolia Warbler
Setophaga magnolia
Social Flycatcher
Myiozetetes similis
White-eyed Vireo
Vireo griseus
Clay-colored Thrush
Turdus grayi
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Purple Martin in Calakmul Biosphere Reserve?
About 6% of wildlife watchers report a Purple Martin sighting in Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, based on 49 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Purple Martin in Calakmul Biosphere Reserve?
April has the highest sighting rate for Purple Martin in Calakmul Biosphere Reserve in our monthly data.