Purple Martins in Brazil: Bridging the knowledge gap

Purple Martins in Brazil: Bridging the knowledge gap
Dr. Erika Hingst, Instituto Butantan
Purple Martins (Progne subis) have declining in numbers over the last five decades. There are several suggested causes for the decline, and the studies of the species in Brazil have been trying to explore all the different aspects, from contaminants to human-wildlife conflict. To begin understanding the conservation needs of the species it is necessary to fill the knowledge gaps about migration timing, distribution and habitat use in Brazil. The widespread distribution of the species, encompassing most of the country, makes it difficult to keep track of the changes in the distribution without the support of a robust database. Collaborative science, also known as citizen science, offers an emerging opportunity to address these knowledge gaps about phenology and also to locate the roosts. We compiled records from collaborative science platforms, museum collections and literature to produce an overview of the distribution and phenology of Purple Martins in their wintering grounds. Although the species is present in all regions, records are more concentrated in the Amazon. The large roosts recorded in southeastern Brazil, especially in the state of São Paulo, have decreased in number of individuals over the last decades. Citizen science data resulted in a record that extend the distribution of Purple Martins to the south of Brazil. Data shows that the birds are in Brazil between September and April, and timing of arrival and departure varies with latitude. I the equatorial region there is a strong temporal variation in number of Purple Martins that is related to the timing of migrations of different populations and subspecies.

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