An Update on our Purple Martin restoration project – from the Portland Press Herald
KENNEBUNK — Seven years. That’s how long the York County Audubon waited for purple martins to arrive at the Madelyn Marx Preserve. In 2017, the nonprofit built the special housing these birds need for their nests. Every spring, treasurer Kathy Donahue spent early mornings in the marsh, playing a recording of their song on her phone to attract the species.
By 2024, she had given up hope. But that year, she got the call. “Lo and behold,” Donahue said. “We had martins in all the holes.”
That first year, there were six nests. Last year, the York County Audubon added six more houses, and purple martins took up residence in all 12. This year, the nonprofit again doubled the capacity, and 22 of 24 nests were occupied in mid-July. Volunteers and students counted 89 chicks on a visit this month! Those numbers are a big deal in Maine, where purple martins are a species of special concern and experts say their numbers have plummeted by more than 90% in recent decades. Reviving this vulnerable population relies on both citizen science and academic research…..
To see the full article, go to: https://www.pressherald.com/2026/07/28/these-homes-in-kennebunk-are-in-high-demand-by-purple-martins/