Purple Martin
Progne subis
Purple Martin 2
Identification:
The purple martin is a kind of swallow, and is larger than other birds of its genus. From bill to the end of its short, forked-shaped tail is 20 centimeters or 7.9 inches. Male martins are fully black with a steel blue sheen. Female martins are dark on top with an off-white underside. Pre-adult males look very much like females, but solid black feathers emerge on their chest in a random pattern as they grow into their adulthood. Martins eat flying insects that they catch as they fly around. This bird rarely ever lands, other than to gather materials for making a nest. Martins are vulnerable to the cold and rain due to the fact that they have distantly migrated from North and Central America.
Niche:
The Purple Martins niche is to cut back the population of flying insects, by consuming them as they fly around. This bird is a consumer because it eats other organisms to get its energy. Being a consumer means you get your energy from consuming other organisms.
Purple Martin Sites: http://thenatureniche.com/2013/05/29/purple-martin/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purple_Martin
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/purple_martin/lifehistory
Sources and Credits
- (c) Shanthanu Bhardwaj, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://www.flickr.com/photos/86124626@N00/3544131767
- Adapted by snappingturtle4321 from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progne_subis
