New York PurPle Martin Purple Martin P r o j e c t Project New York PHOTO JIM WILLIAMS Female and male parents share in building the nest to raise their young Adult female on the left shown with two of its young IN NEW YORK STATE, PURPLE MARTINS Check out these websites HAVE DECLINED BY 39% since 1985. for more information on purple martins: Help Reverse the Trend! www.friendsofiroquoisnwr.org/ The National Audubon Society suggests the purplemartins/media.html following ways that you can help to conserve newyorkwild.org/martin/martin_video.htm Purple Martins: purplemartin.org ■ Purchase or construct and install appropriate birds.audubon.org/species/purmar martin housing, including predator proofing. Project Partners Housing standards can be found at New York State Ornithological Association www.purplemartin.org Buffalo Audubon Society ■ Protect martin colonies from European Buffalo Ornithological Society Starlings and House Sparrows by trapping or Purple Martin Conservation Association otherwise removing these non-native nest Friends of Iroquois NWR site competitors. New York State Bluebird Society ■ Plant native trees, shrubs, flowers and Orleans Bluebird Society grasses which attract more insects than non- If you have questions about caring for a natives. In fact, they support almost 30 times Purple Martin colony, please contact: more insect diversity than introduced plants. FINWR c/o Carl Zenger ■ Avoid applying pesticides that kill or poison 1101 Casey Road flying insects that martins eat. Basom, NY 14013 Carl Zenger:
[email protected] 716-434-7568 ■ Create a dragonfly pond to attract and breed these and other insects preferred by martins. Celeste Morien :
[email protected] 585-721-8202 ■ Maintain a pile of small gravel or sand in an Pat Lynch:
[email protected] open area for grit.