Thousands of Purple Martins form a daily 'birdnado' in Texas as they stage for 2024 fall migration

Every year after laying their eggs and fledging their chicks, thousands and thousands of Purple Martin birds concentrate into a mega flock. They begin roosting together nightly in the lush trees of a Petco parking lot in Round Rock, Texas.

Because birds are cool and thousands of birds are obviously more cool (bird math), Travis Audubon organizes yearly Purple Martin parties which bring viewers together to enjoy this bird spectacle.

A big crowd of folks from all over with binoculars, cameras, and camping chairs eager to watch the river of Purple Martins begin their descent into the tree canopy.

Around sunset the birds gather in increasing numbers in the sky before they begin to flood down into the trees. It's loud. Birds may poop on you.

This year the Purple Martins have selected the trees that are in and around the La Frontera Shopping Center roundabout.

Travis Audubon had a couple Purple Martin shirts and other merch for sale.

In 2022, I used a shotgun microphone to try to record the bird cacophony. This year I brought a 22” parabolic microphone to see how it fared.

As in 2022, we arrived at the shopping center parking lot shortly before 8 PM. The evening sky was mostly clear, with a cotton candy sunset glow as the birds swirled above.

Within 30 minutes, the sky filled with thousands of Purple Martins forming currents across the sky. It’s a literal spectacle.

Interestingly, just as in 2022, a Common Nighthawk made an appearance during the event.

The Purple Martin Parties are happening weekly through August 3, 2024. But the Martins roost in this same location every evening.