BRAINERD — “It all began in the early 1970s” said Larry Leonard, of Brainerd. “I built a purple martin house and put it up. Before I had the last nut tightened on the pole, martins were checking out ...

Wonder why your neighbor is hanging gourds up? Or why there appears to be an undulating donut on the weather radar? The answer to both is the purple martin. The largest swallow in North America, male ...

A proper house will bring all these songbirds to the yard. Nothing is more beautiful to the eyes or ears than purple martins, especially if they’ve decided to take up residence in your yard or garden.

Purple martins are iridescent beautiful birds known for their speed, agility, and insect-eating habits. Not truly purple, they have a deep blue plumage that shimmers in the light. In certain angles, ...