purple martin

English

A purple martin.

Noun

purple martin (plural purple martins)

  1. The largest North American swallow, Progne subis.
    • 1831, James Rennie, The Architecture of Birds‎, page 343:
      This practice of harbouring and protecting the purple martin does not appear to be of European origin, as the aboriginal Americans had adopted a similar practice from time immemorial.
    • 1871, Samuel Orchart Beeton, Beeton's Dictionary of natural history‎, page 193:
      The American purple martin (Progne purpurea) is a visitor to North America, where it arrives in February at New Orleans, and Boston towards the end of April.
    • 2013, Bill Thompson, Southern Birds: Backyard Guide‎:
      Female and young purple martins are gray and black with some blue on the back.

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