To view this email as a webpage, visit our eNewsletter page.

Purple Martin Voice

Volume 1(8)

Purple Martin Voice is an eNewsletter distributed by Purple Martin Association of the Dakotas. Issues feature the plights and triumphs of Purple Martins in the Dakotas.

Outdoor Martin Fest

Saturday, June 15, 2013
9:00 am - 3:00 pm
12345 396th Avenue
Columbia, SD 57433-7100

For the most up-to-date information, visit our Outdoor Martin Fest page.

Research

Picture

range map courtesy of Purple Martin Conservation Association and York University, © 2013

This year in South Dakota, there have been 6 geolocators retrieved. Three of the six geolocators are from the Columbia colony. One after second year male (ASY-M) was re-deployed so he will have two migration maps; the other two were first time birds with geolocators.

Three of the six geolocators are from the Sioux Falls colony. Two were first time birds with geolocators and one still had the geolocator on her back for two years, so any luck the battery is still good and will have two migrations for her from Sioux Falls. There is a possibility there may be one more to retrieve at Sioux Falls.

Good numbers of second year (SY) birds are here and still coming so people still have a very good chance to get Purple Martins this year. About 6 SY birds with leg bands have been seen at both the Sioux Falls and the Columbia colonies. There is a good chance to place geolocators on banded SY birds that were fledged from the colonies.

An ASY-M banded from the same Columbia, South Dakota breeding colony in 2011 with band number 2331-84529, began spring migration back to this Columbia colony from northern Brazil (Amazon River region) on May 1, 2012. This spring migration took three weeks with the ASY-M arriving back in Columbia on May 21, 2012. This ASY-M traveled 4,697 miles in 21 days averaging 224 miles per day.

The ASY-M left Columbia, South Dakota on August 14, 2011. He spent a little under three weeks in what we think is a pre-migratory roost near Ortonville, Minnesota. The fall migration took over twice as long as the spring migration to complete. Leaving Ortonville, Minnesota on September 3, 2011, his migration took 51 days arriving in northern Brazil on October 23, 2011 traveling 5,179 miles averaging 101 miles per day. The total annual migration distance traveled for this ASY-M was 9,876 miles.

Calendar

June 15, 2013 9 am - 3 pm Purple Martin Association of the Dakotas 2nd annual Outdoor Martin Fest

For more information on events, visit our Calendar page.

Announcement

Thank those who sponsor the 2nd Annual "Outdoor Martin Fest"!
•South Dakota Chapter of The Wildlife Society
•ERVA / Nature House
•Purple Martin Conservation Association
•Purple Martin Products by Creative Universe Enterprises