Purple Martin (Progne subis) [XC421332]
by Phoenix Birder from Galen (near Seneca Falls), Wayne County, New York, United States (call)
Purple Martin (Progne subis) [XC781098]
by Bobby Wilcox from Brigantine National Wildlife Refuge, NJ, United States (call)
Subspecies
Forms a superspecies with all congeners except Brown-chested Martin (Progne tapera). Sometimes considered conspecific with Cuban Martin (Progne cryptoleuca), Caribbean Martin (Progne dominicensis) and Sinaloa Martin (Progne sinaloae). Taxonomy uncertain, and subspecific status of birds in northern Rockies, on Pacific coast, and in south-western USA and Mexico unclear. Birds from southern Arizona described as subspecies oberholseri, usually considered synonymous with hesperia.
The following 3 subspecies are recognised:
arboricola Behle, 1968 - Mountains of western North America (probably including Pacific North-west) east to Rocky Mts and south to north-western and northern Mexico (including northern Baja California). Winters probably in South America.
subis (Linnaeus, 1758) - East of Rocky Mts, from southern Canada (central Alberta and central Saskatchewan east to south-western and southern Ontario, southern Quebec, eastern New Brunswick and north-western Nova Scotia) south to southern USA (eastern from central Plains States, western Kansas and central and south-western Texas) and central Mexican Highlands. Winters in South America east of Andes.
hesperia Brewster, 1889 - South-western USA (southern Arizona lowlands) and north-western Mexico (southern Baja California, and lowlands south to south-central Sonora, possibly along coast to northern Sinaloa and on Gulf of California islands); probably winters in South America.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet