incubation. Others feel that the leaves put off certain

incubation.

Others feel that the leaves put off certain chemicals that help control parasites. And still others feel that the leaves simply hide the eggs when the martins are away from the nest. The answer may be a combination of these reasons or others. Whatever the reason it is a behavior that is interesting to watch.

After the young have fledged, the martins begin to leave the colony area to assemble into larger flocks. These flocks may number in the hundreds. It is from these large gatherings that the martins will begin their long migration that will take them to South America.

The martins may spend daylight hours in smaller groups, perching on power lines, preening and foraging for food. As the night draws near, the birds begin to assemble into larger roosting flocks for the night. It is not uncommon for them to go north or any other direction in order to meet with the pre-migratory groups.

From the pre-migratory roosts the martins begin their long journey to South America. The birds leave the roosts in smaller groups, with the earliest arrivals usually being the ones that start their migration first.

This exit may be spread out over several weeks with most of the martins leaving in early-October. This is a long hard trip for the martins, but necessary for them to have insects for food. Brazil is the largest country in South America and is host to a very large percentage of migratory martins.

Martins do not nest or breed in South America. They are only residing there during our winter to secure ample amounts of insects for their diet. Also while they are staying there, they undergo a process called molting. This involves the shedding of the old feathers and replacing them with new feathers. All martins molt once a year. It is this process that male martins must go through to attain