purple martins at home in essex county, but ontario population declining
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mary wilson and paul hamel of the ontario purple martin association pose in front of a purple martin birdhouse at the historic christ church in colchester during an education event about the birds on saturday, july 12, 2025. (brian macleod/windsor star)
brian macleod
/
windsor star
local birders gathered at the historic christ church in colchester on saturday to champion the plight of the purple martin, a migrating species that’s on the decline in ontario.
mary wilson, a member of the ontario purple martin association and paul hamel, chair of the association, said the gathering on the historic church grounds, where a colony has settled, was designed to bring awareness to the plight of the brightly coloured little bird.
purple martins, which feast on winged insects, face many challenges, said wilson.
“most of their natural habitat is long gone. they’ve probably been affected over the decades through pesticide use, and they’ve also been really hit hard by cold spring weather.”
purple martins can starve to death in the spring if weather patterns discourage insects, she said. that’s one of a few hazards they face, in addition to predators: snakes, raccoons, owls, and foxes.
falconer sully momla shows an 18-month-old eurasian eagle owl at the historic christ church in colchester during an education event organized by the ontario purple martin association on saturday, july 12, 2025. (brian macleod/windsor star)
brian macleod
/
windsor star
purple martins that settle in southwestern ontario overwinter in brazil, where the tropical forests offer a feast of insects.
when they return to ontario each spring, they often settle in specially designed birdhouses, examples of which can be seen at holiday beach conservation area and on the grounds of the church in colchester. they’re often painted white, with many “apartments” facing in different directions.
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but purple martins sometimes have to fight off other birds, such as the house swallow or starlings, for nesting locations, even in purple martin apartments in the birdhouses.
an average purple martin is about 20 centimetres long, weighs about 56 grams and can reach speeds of up to 64 kilometres per hour.
wilson got involved in championing purple martins about 30 years ago when her husband, jim sudds, decided to renovate old purple martin houses that had been used as 150-yard markers at erie shores golf and country club in leamington.
“they were not in the best shape (at the time). and it looked like there were maybe a couple of martins hanging around, but mostly sparrows,” said wilson. “my husband took it upon himself to do a cleansing of the golf course and actually get purple martins back on the golf course.
“and we now have a thriving colony at erie shores golf course.”
purple martins are a “kind of a social bird,” said hamel, who has a pair nesting in his yard. “i think it’s for protection. they warn each other. they can ward off sparrows.”
the birds became popular in this area when indigenous people put up gourds for them to nest in so they could patrol the area and devour insects, he said.
sunday’s event featured an array of local vendors, as well as a eurasian eagle owl and a gyrfalcon.
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for more information on purple martins, visit ontariopurplemartins.ca.
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