Point Defiance Zoo conservationists support local purple martin swallows with new nests

Yahoo

24-05-2025

'Spring is in the air, and so are the Purple Martins!'
Conservationists with the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium are supporting local purple martins, North America's largest swallows, with fresh new homes.
According to the zoo, Tacoma is a major hotspot for these birds, which rely on human-made homes due to habitat loss. The conservation team hopes to help support the local purple martin population, while still encouraging martins to seek out natural cavities, as the species slowly rebounds.
The zoo says these birds travel thousands of miles each year from Brazil to return to places like Tacoma, often arriving as early as April and departing by late August. Locals may spot them circling high over the shoreline or perched on weathered pilings at places like Titlow Beach or Chambers Bay.
'Our data tells us that Tacoma is home to a large percentage of the state's purple martins,' said Sam Hain, conservation specialist at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. 'The city could hold as much as 16 percent of Washington's estimated 600 adult birds, making it a huge bastion for a species that depends on us for nesting habitat.'
The team recently added 10 new nest boxes and 6 plastic gourds as new little homes for our local swallows, and say that already spotted at least one nesting pair with signs of more on the way.
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