WhenToBird

Purple Martin · Progne subis

When Do Purple Martins Arrive in New Jersey?

Adult female Purple Martin
Photo: Ron Bondy, CC BY-SA 4.0 via iNaturalist

Purple Martins reach New Jersey in early April, are common by mid April, peak in late July (17% of checklists), and most are gone by late August.

When to look

First arrivalsApr 1-7early April
Common byApr 15-21mid April
PeakJul 22-31late July
Most gone byAug 22-31late August

Best: late July. First arrivals early April; most are gone by late August. Peak: on about 17% of New Jersey checklists.

  1. Jannot usually seen
  2. Febnot usually seen
  3. Marrare
  4. Aprcommon
  5. Maycommon
  6. Juncommon
  7. Julpeak season
  8. Augpeak season
  9. Sepuncommon
  10. Octnot usually seen
  11. Novnot usually seen
  12. Decnot usually seen

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

Purple Martins in New Jersey, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
Purple MartinApr 1-7Apr 15-21Jul 22-31Aug 22-3117%
0%5%10%15%20%Purple MartinJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
  • 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 New Jersey 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 New Jersey

Best counties for Purple Martin

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Cape May CountyBest late July · 2809 checklists that week, 189,832 in all48%
  2. Atlantic CountyBest late May · 900 checklists that week, 28,208 in all31%
  3. Cumberland CountyBest late July · 149 checklists that week, 13,927 in all29%
  4. Salem CountyBest late July · 143 checklists that week, 9,658 in all27%
  5. Burlington CountyBest early August · 802 checklists that week, 52,358 in all26%
  6. Ocean CountyBest early August · 1242 checklists that week, 87,340 in all23%

Common questions

When do purple martins arrive in New Jersey?
Purple Martins reach New Jersey in early April, are common by mid April, peak in late July (17% of checklists), and most are gone by late August.
When do purple martins leave New Jersey?
Most Purple Martins have left New Jersey by late August, when reports fall below half their usual rate. Stragglers are still reported until the second week of September.
When is the best time to see purple martins in New Jersey?
The Purple Martin is reported most often in late July, on about 17% of New Jersey checklists.