When do purple martins leave Oklahoma?

Most Purple Martins have left Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma?

The Purple Martin is reported most often in the second week of July, on about 15% of Oklahoma checklists.

Purple Martin · Progne subis

When Do Purple Martins Arrive in Oklahoma?

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

Purple Martins reach Oklahoma in the second week of March, are common by late March, peak in the second week of July (15% of checklists), and most are gone by late August.

When to look

First arrivalsMar 8-14the second week of March

Common byMar 22-31late March

PeakJul 8-14the second week of July

Most gone byAug 22-31late August

Best: the second week of July. First arrivals the second week of March; most are gone by late August. Peak: on about 15% of Oklahoma checklists.

Jannot usually seen
Febnot usually seen
Maruncommon
Aprcommon
Maycommon
Junpeak season
Julpeak season
Augpeak season
Sepuncommon
Octnot usually seen
Novnot usually seen
Decnot usually seen

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

Purple Martins in Oklahoma, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Purple Martin	Mar 8-14	Mar 22-31	Jul 8-14	Aug 22-31	15%

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 Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma

Best counties for Purple Martin

Share of checklists at the peak

Marshall CountyBest late May · 36 checklists that week, 590 in all42%
Hughes CountyBest mid April · 16 checklists that week, 494 in all36%
Payne CountyBest the second week of July · 344 checklists that week, 29,283 in all35%
Atoka CountyBest the second week of April · 13 checklists that week, 381 in all32%
Kingfisher CountyBest mid July · 10 checklists that week, 389 in all31%
Delaware CountyBest mid July · 26 checklists that week, 1,727 in all31%

Common questions

When do purple martins arrive in Oklahoma?: Purple Martins reach Oklahoma in the second week of March, are common by late March, peak in the second week of July (15% of checklists), and most are gone by late August.
When do purple martins leave Oklahoma?: Most Purple Martins have left Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma?: The Purple Martin is reported most often in the second week of July, on about 15% of Oklahoma checklists.