Add Yahoo as a preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. Choose the Right Housing: Martins need elevated, multi-compartment homes placed in open areas with clear flight paths. Prep for ...

As I write this column, I am watching snow fall. The weather conditions do not suggest spring, but they certainly cause me to daydream about spring and the harbingers of spring -- purple martins.

Even though it is just the middle of February, the harbinger of spring, the purple martin, is probably on his way from South America and Mexico today. Last year, martins arrived March 3 at Sunny Hill.

A proper house will bring all these songbirds to the yard. Nothing is more beautiful to the eyes or ears than purple martins, especially if they’ve decided to take up residence in your yard or garden.

Purple martins are iridescent beautiful birds known for their speed, agility, and insect-eating habits. Not truly purple, they have a deep blue plumage that shimmers in the light. In certain angles, ...

Dick Nikolai of Appleton spent his professional career dedicated to Wisconsin's wildlife, including animals tiny and large, abundant and endangered and game and non-game. But in retirement he's ...