WhenToBird

Purple Martin · Progne subis

When Do Purple Martins Arrive in North Dakota?

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

Purple Martins reach North Dakota in mid April, are common by early May, peak in early August (11% of checklists), and most are gone by late August.

When to look

First arrivalsApr 15-21mid April
Common byMay 1-7early May
PeakAug 1-7early August
Most gone byAug 22-31late August

Best: early August. First arrivals mid April; most are gone by late August. Peak: on about 11% of North Dakota checklists.

  1. Jannot usually seen
  2. Febnot usually seen
  3. Marnot usually seen
  4. Apruncommon
  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 North Dakota, species by species

SpeciesFirst arrivalsCommon byPeakMost gone byPeak %
Purple MartinApr 15-21May 1-7Aug 1-7Aug 22-3111%
0%5%10%15%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 North Dakota 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 North Dakota

Best counties for Purple Martin

Share of checklists at the peak
  1. Burleigh CountyBest early August · 174 checklists that week, 10,129 in all28%
  2. Stutsman CountyBest early August · 114 checklists that week, 7,048 in all26%
  3. Rolette CountyBest the second week of August · 15 checklists that week, 490 in all25%
  4. Stark CountyBest the second week of August · 89 checklists that week, 4,072 in all25%
  5. Mountrail CountyBest mid August · 35 checklists that week, 3,275 in all24%
  6. Williams CountyBest the second week of August · 76 checklists that week, 5,446 in all23%

Common questions

When do purple martins arrive in North Dakota?
Purple Martins reach North Dakota in mid April, are common by early May, peak in early August (11% of checklists), and most are gone by late August.
When do purple martins leave North Dakota?
Most Purple Martins have left North Dakota by late August, when reports fall below half their usual rate. Stragglers are still reported until early September.
When is the best time to see purple martins in North Dakota?
The Purple Martin is reported most often in early August, on about 11% of North Dakota checklists.