When do purple martins leave Georgia?

Most Purple Martins have left Georgia by late July, when reports fall below half their usual rate. Stragglers are still reported until the second week of August.

When is the best time to see purple martins in Georgia?

The Purple Martin is reported most often in the second week of June, on about 6.2% of Georgia checklists.

Purple Martin · Progne subis

When Do Purple Martins Arrive in Georgia?

Photo: Ron Bondy, CC BY-SA 4.0 via iNaturalist

Purple Martins reach Georgia in mid February, are common by early March, peak in the second week of June (6.2% of checklists), and most are gone by late July.

When to look

First arrivalsFeb 15-21mid February

Common byMar 1-7early March

PeakJun 8-14the second week of June

Most gone byJul 22-31late July

Best: the second week of June. First arrivals mid February; most are gone by late July. Peak: on about 6.2% of Georgia checklists.

Jannot usually seen
Febuncommon
Marcommon
Aprcommon
Maypeak season
Junpeak season
Julpeak season
Auguncommon
Seprare
Octnot usually seen
Novnot usually seen
Decnot usually seen

Darker months: more checklists report it. Outlined: peak month.

Purple Martins in Georgia, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Purple Martin	Feb 15-21	Mar 1-7	Jun 8-14	Jul 22-31	6.2%

Purple Martin

Share of complete checklists reporting each species, by week (4 per month). Gaps: fewer than 10 checklists that week.

Frequency is the share of complete checklists in Georgia that listed the bird, 2016–2025. It is not a head count, and it follows where and when people go birding. How to read it.

Where in Georgia

Best counties for Purple Martin

Share of checklists at the peak

Jeff Davis CountyBest early April · 27 checklists that week, 627 in all71%
Seminole CountyBest mid April · 16 checklists that week, 605 in all69%
McDuffie CountyBest mid June · 24 checklists that week, 958 in all61%
Taylor CountyBest mid June · 14 checklists that week, 453 in all43%
Laurens CountyBest mid June · 103 checklists that week, 5,060 in all42%
Colquitt CountyBest the second week of March · 19 checklists that week, 683 in all42%

Common questions

When do purple martins arrive in Georgia?: Purple Martins reach Georgia in mid February, are common by early March, peak in the second week of June (6.2% of checklists), and most are gone by late July.
When do purple martins leave Georgia?: Most Purple Martins have left Georgia by late July, when reports fall below half their usual rate. Stragglers are still reported until the second week of August.
When is the best time to see purple martins in Georgia?: The Purple Martin is reported most often in the second week of June, on about 6.2% of Georgia checklists.