Harry Harris
and the
Purple Martin
in
Kansas City, Missouri
by
Robert Jan 'Roy' van de Hoek
2007
Ballona Institute
322 Culver Boulevard, Suite 317
Playa del Rey, California 90293
In 1919, Harry Harris authored a book called the Birds of the Kansas City Region. In that book, he writes a brief narrative for every bird that has been recorded in the Kansas City Region. One of those birds was the Purple Martin. I have chosen to focus this brief essay on this very interesting bird because Harry Harris wrote about the use of bird boxes to attract Purple Martins to nest in Kansas City. The narrative seemed so well written and from nearly 90 years ago, that it shows that birders have thought about "bird houses" for quite some time in Kansas City. Of course, birders across the United States were also interested in Bird Houses. I myself have become interested in bird houses on Ballona Creek along its entire watershed, as well as throughout Los Angeles County, California. It seems now intriguing to begin a project to bring back the Purple Martin to urban Los Angeles County, utilizing the written words of Harry Harris as suggestion. Finally, it is noteworthy to state that Harry Harris lived in Eagle Rock from the 1920s to the 1950s, which places him on the Los Angeles River watershed.
Printed below is the excerpted passaged on the Purple Martin by Harry Harris:
PURPLE MARTIN
The earliest Martins arrive in mid-March (from the 4th to 26th). These are a few impatient males that are sometimes forced by late storms to rejoin their less venturesome brothers further south. By the last week in March there are always a few present and during the following two weeks they are joined daily by fresh arrivals. It sometimes happens that late sleet storms force the Martins to remain in their roosts for two or three successive days when they starve to death.
Nesting begins early in May and when the young are out the brids begin flocking to common roosts in the bottoms. They leave on the southern journey during early September.
Martins are sociable birds and breed in colonies wherever suitable bird-houses are provided or where they are able to find room in the cornices of old business buildings, as on north Main Street and elsewhere in the city.
To attract a colony of Martins it is necessary to provide a house of several rooms with the entrance holes at the bottom and placed as high from the ground as possible. It is also necessary to have the house out in the open away from trees.
In conclusion, please read an associate web page essay about birds of Kansas City and Harry Harris at the following link. You will also learn about Ralph Hoffmann and his interest in birds: Kansas City Birds
