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The purple martin (Progne subis) is the largest (14.4–14.9 cm) and most urbanized of Canadian swallows, and is the northernmost representative of an otherwise tropical genus native to the Americas.
Range
Purple martins extend into New Brunswick, southern Ontario, adjacent Quebec, the southern prairies (Northwest to Peace River), and into southwestern British Columbia. They are migratory and formerly nested in tree cavities, but now nest largely in box colonies around human settlements.
Description
Males are dark, glossy purplish black with blackish wings and tail; females and young are dark blue and grey.
Diet
Martins feed on flying insects and generally forage higher than other swallows.
