The Secret Life of Purple Martins: 2020 Nestcam Recap

Watch as a nest of Purple Martins at the Purple Martin Conservation Association headquarters in Erie, PA progresses from eggs to fledglings. Our 2020 nestcam family enjoyed a successful breeding season, but not without a lot of pressure from unpaired juvenile males intruding in the nest, pecking the babies, and overall trying to cause a nest failure so they might have a chance to mate with the female. Luckily we avoided any close calls or deaths from predators this year. Such is life for the Purple Martin, a struggle to survive in the face of habitat loss, predators, and competition. The parents, four year old female Manha and her mate Paya hatched and raised six healthy nestlings that will soon be on their way to overwinter in Brazil. We hope to see them return in 2021! Learn more about Purple Martins and why they need our help at Music, in order heard: English Country Garden by Aaron Kenny No. 9 Esther’s Waltz by Esther Abrami Horr