When people visit Epcot at Walt Disney World, many think of the exciting attractions such as Test Track or Mission Space. One thing that you may not realize is that there is a Disney conservation team that is helping a very special species.
Every year, purple martins travel more than 3,000 miles from Brazil to Walt Disney World to raise their young in the springtime. The birds start arriving in January and start building their colony. They lay their eggs and it takes only 15 days for them to hatch. There are 20 houses around the property and 150 to 170 birds nest here each year. That means 500 purple martin chicks are born at Walt Disney World each year.
If you want to tell the difference between the male and female purple martins, you can buy the color. The girls are brown and the boys are a shiny purple color. Every year, Disney puts bands on many of the birds so they can identify them. They get their own MagicBand, which is a lightweight GPS locator. This does not affect their flight, but allows Disney to track them to make sure they are safe.
Inside of each gourd, there is a pile of pine needles at the beginning of each season. Purple martins love this and build their nests inside. They know this is a safe place to lay their eggs and that nobody will bother them.
The eggs are normally laid in a group of four, five, or six eggs. She will sit on them and her body heat will help continue the process. Some of them will go at the same pace, but it is also possible to be laid almost a week apart.
Once the eggs are laid, mom and dad go and find food for their babies. They will grab insects from the sky and you will see them flying around trying to catch them.
Walt Disney World works closely with research projects including the Purple Martin Conservation Association and truly makes a difference for these animals. You can see their home anytime at EPCOT.