2026 Washington State Purple Martin Census Project Starts Now
By Kelly McAllister
As described in the South Sound Bird Alliance March newsletter, 2026 is the year of the Washington statewide Purple Martin census. It begins now. During April and May, Purple Martins steadily appeared at traditional nest locations, filling the air with their clicks and warbles and busily defending their chosen cavities. Birders, particularly those that love Purple Martins, have likely seen martins perched on boxes, peering into flicker holes in pilings or snags and generally looking like they’re ready to start the nesting process. However, martins are rather slow getting started. Many pairs are just now beginning construction of their modest nests. Soon, those nests will be lined with green leaves in preparation for receiving a clutch that is typically 4-6 eggs.
Now that it’s June we are ready to start counting pairs as part of the 2026 census. The decision on when to start balances the advantages of counting pairs when they are most active, which includes May, with the potential for improperly counting pairs that move on from the cavity they investigate early in the cycle. Purple Martins notoriously show lots of interest in boxes and natural cavities early in the season only to move on to parts unknown.
So, when does the census start? If you’ve delved into the history of Washington State ornithology, you probably recognize the name Edward Alexander Kitchin. As reported in The Murrelet, Kitchin investigated a Purple Martin nest in a piling on the Tacoma mud flats and in it, he found one egg on May 29, 1934. May 29th is among the earliest clutch initiation dates for Purple Martins in Washington. Utilizing estimates of nestling ages during banding, I’ve determined that the majority of Purple Martins initiate egg laying after June 10th.
Knowledge of the timing of egg laying is important to the census effort because we will measure the population in numbers of nesting pairs, the number of pairs that lay eggs. Counting pairs entering cavities prior to the onset of egg laying runs the risk of including pairs that were only investigating a cavity and, perhaps, moved on to another cavity before initiating a clutch. In this scenario it’s possible that some pairs get counted twice.
Though our target is nesting pairs, we get to the number of nesting pairs by counting active cavities, cavities where observed evidence indicates nesting is underway. A complete census protocol has been posted to the Facebook page titled “2026 Washington State Purple Martin Census Project.” Most of the well known, established colonies now have committed volunteers ready to begin. Locations further away from Puget Sound have been more difficult to find volunteers for. Many remote areas almost certainly have nesting Purple Martins, based on a history of birds being seen during the breeding season, but actual nest locations have yet to be identified. In all likelihood, Purple Martins nesting in natural cavities in snags are considerably more abundant than current records suggest. We’re hopeful that enthusiastic volunteers will search suitable habitat in remote areas, listening for the martins’ distinctive calls, and spot the cavities where they’re nesting.
If you’re interested in learning more about the census, or volunteering to assist, contact Kelly McAllister at mcallisters4@comcast.net.
Photos by Kelly McAllister
