Quote:
Originally Posted by summerhill
Was not sure where to post this...
Can anyone out there identify a bird for me? The fly up pretty high, in a very erratic pattern. Out in the early morning and at dusk. The do a beep, beep sign. Have a white V on the underside of the wings. Will often dive (for something) maybe mosquiteos at dusk. When they dive they make a buzzing sound. Have had them dive me on my back lanai. They are not mocking birds or hawks, as some have suggested. Once they have a territory they seem to stay there. Have looked in all of the books and cannot identify. They are all over the Vilages.
thanks
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They are almost certainly Purple Martins. The first Purple Martin "scouts" usually arrive here in February and the migration really gets going by now.
Purple Martins are gregarious, and when possible will nest together in large groups. Stores that are oriented to farm sales have very large Purple Martin houses for sale. For years I had an 18 unit (nest) house in my back yard and was highly entertained by the presence of these lovely birds. Alternative houses are hollowed-out gourds, which are available commercially.
They fly in groups and are agile fliers. As they swoop and dart through the sky they are eating mosquitoes and other small insects. They do not eat seeds, so you need not be concerned about feeding them.
I have seen a few, but not many, Purple Martin houses in The Villages. I wish there were more. I enjoy having them around.
At this site
Purple Martin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia you can click on a sound recording of Purple Martins and listen to their call.
Note from the photos that it is fairly easy to distinguish the males from the females by size and coloration.
Carl