By Kat Ross & Susanne Harm
North America’s largest swallows, Purple Martins, are currently putting on a dazzling display every night in Central Texas. Hundreds of thousands swirl over Round Rock Crossing shopping center before landing to roost in a cluster of Live Oaks. These arial acrobats return year after year to gather before they migrate to Brazil. After eating insects all day, the birds swirl lower and lower, jockeying for position on the best, highest branches as the sun sets. Wings flapping in the branches above sound like a rushing waterfall until they go silent to begin their night’s sleep – safe from most predators in this busy, brightly lit shopping center just off IH-35.
Purple Martin roosts typically begin in June and go through late August to early September. It’s exciting to observe the phenomenon each night at Travis Audubon’s Purple Martin Parties, but what does it look like the next morning?
We want to highlight a different side of the story and give a big shout-out to the work that early morning volunteers are doing to help roosting Purple Martins survive migration.
Purple Martin spotted in the street under the main roost trees at 6:30 a.m. Volunteers are trained to look for deceased and injured birds on dark surfaces in low-lighting.
Every morning, starting around 6 a.m., volunteers arrive at Round Rock Crossing and begin their patrols. The walking route begins at the front lot and grounds around Discount Tire. The tire store’s 16-foot windows become a mirror as the sun rises, and since birds don’t know what a window is, they think they’re flying into the reflected image of trees and sky.
Even after placing more than 50 ultraviolet decals and hundreds of reflective UV dots on these windows, younger, less experienced flyers will sometimes hit the window and need to be rescued.
In addition to bumping into each other during their early morning lift-offs, Martins are susceptible to other dangers. Morning volunteers have seen a Cooper’s Hawk patrolling the lot and have been told there is at least one stray cat nearby.
A team of 15 early risers signs up to walk and then drive a designated route around Discount Tire, Best Buy, Five Guys, Jason’s Deli and Target, looking for and then documenting the number of deceased and injured birds. Injured Purple Martins are carefully captured using a lightweight towel, carefully handled, and then placed in a small box before being delivered to one of only two available wildlife rescue facilities (All Things Wild in Georgetown or Austin Wildlife Rescue in South Austin).
Travis Audubon volunteer Garrett Dominey carefully tosses a light towel over an injured martin to keep the bird calm before picking it up for examination.
Garrett Dominey holds an injured Adult male Purple Martin. Volunteers identify the age and look for bands before taking to Wildlife Rescue facilities.
Tom Swisher applies ultraviolet reflecting decals to the windows of Discount Tire.
Ollie, our faux Great Horned Owl provides additional deterrence for martins heading towards the windows.
This tough work in the mornings is starkly contrasted by the thrilling avian acrobatics witnessed by visitors and volunteers in the evenings. What starts as an evening of inspiration and wonder becomes a sense of responsibility and sometimes heartache the next day. Although it’s not for everyone, this research is invaluable. With so little known about their migration, the data gathered provides critical insights into the dangers Purple Martins face as they journey south each summer. If we can save even one bird and give it another chance, then all the effort is worthwhile.
