When do purple martins leave South Carolina?

Most Purple Martins have left South Carolina by the second week of 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 South Carolina?

The Purple Martin is reported most often in late June, on about 11% of South Carolina checklists.

Purple Martin · Progne subis

When Do Purple Martins Arrive in South Carolina?

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

Purple Martins reach South Carolina in early March, are common by mid March, peak in late June (11% of checklists), and most are gone by the second week of August.

When to look

First arrivalsMar 1-7early March

Common byMar 15-21mid March

PeakJun 22-30late June

Most gone byAug 8-14the second week of August

Best: late June. First arrivals early March; most are gone by the second week of August. Peak: on about 11% of South Carolina checklists.

Jannot usually seen
Febrare
Maruncommon
Aprcommon
Maycommon
Junpeak season
Julpeak season
Augcommon
Seprare
Octnot usually seen
Novnot usually seen
Decnot usually seen

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

Purple Martins in South Carolina, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Purple Martin	Mar 1-7	Mar 15-21	Jun 22-30	Aug 8-14	11%

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 South Carolina 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 South Carolina

Best counties for Purple Martin

Share of checklists at the peak

Williamsburg CountyBest late May · 47 checklists that week, 1,512 in all41%
Clarendon CountyBest the second week of July · 126 checklists that week, 9,189 in all39%
Marlboro CountyBest late July · 12 checklists that week, 686 in all37%
Orangeburg CountyBest the second week of May · 217 checklists that week, 8,992 in all36%
Fairfield CountyBest mid July · 18 checklists that week, 768 in all32%
Lexington CountyBest late July · 528 checklists that week, 27,992 in all28%

Common questions

When do purple martins arrive in South Carolina?: Purple Martins reach South Carolina in early March, are common by mid March, peak in late June (11% of checklists), and most are gone by the second week of August.
When do purple martins leave South Carolina?: Most Purple Martins have left South Carolina by the second week of 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 South Carolina?: The Purple Martin is reported most often in late June, on about 11% of South Carolina checklists.