Flight charectoristics of PM's vs. TS

[flyin-lowe]

I have got my TS' relocated and still have my PM house closed up and the dawnsong playing again. Do PM's look similar to TS when they are in the air the way they glide and dive or do they have a different look to them. Since I had initially mistaken the TS for a PM I was just wandering how hard it would be to tell the two apart from a distance if you have both in the same area. I know once they get close enough the white stomach will give them away but are there any other differences that can be noticed from a distance to distinguish a PM flying in my field as apposed to a TS. Or is that just a knack that comes with years of a trained eye?

[Glen Webb Jr]

Personally, I think martins do more of the characteristic flapping and gliding flight pattern than tree swallows. But when they are up high, martins and tree swallows do fly very similarly, size between the species being the big difference. Martins will also tend to fly at higher altitudes than the other swallows.

The flapping and gliding pattern I speak of is when a martin will beat its wings temporarily to gain altitude, pursue insects, etc. and then glide in long cirles and arcs across the sky. Tree swallows will do this too, but to me it always looks different. Kind of like the tree swallows beat their wings more rapidly than the martins.

[Mary Dawnsong]

Hi,

Martins are much bigger than Tree Swallows (but relative size is difficult to judge from a distance).
They often fly much higher than Tree Swallows (but not always).
They often glide longer distances than Tree Swallows (but not always).
Their vocalizations in flight are much louder than Tree Swallows (but they don't always vocalize).

This is what I recommend for you:
- Find a sizable Purple Martin colony within driving distance.
- Become acquainted with the landlord.
- Spend some time observing the colony.

Good luck,
Mary

[flyin-lowe]

sounds like a plan and some good advice.
Today I saw some larger birds come in the yard but I think they were barn swallows. The stomach had almost and orange/brown collar to it and it had the V tail., Are the PM's larger then the barn swallows?

[Mary Dawnsong]

Yes, sounds like your new swallows are Barnies.

And, yes, martins are much larger than Barn Swallows.
Purple Martins are about the size of Starlings, but slimmer and shorter legged.