Where Did Purple Martins Get The Name “Martin”
Today someone on the PMCA forum asked an interesting question that I thought some of you might find interesting.
How Did Martins Get Named Martins? I know there are other martin species, but does anyone know the origin of the name?
So I share…
“The term MARTIN is a proper name in French and derives from the the Latin “Mars,” the Roman God of War. The diminutive “ten” or “tin” is a pet name, leading to speculation that “little mars” refers to the first month of the yearly calendar-the warring season, when first so-called scouts arrive in the US.”
from The Purple Martin by Robin Doughty and Rob Fergus
On a personal note, I like to think of them as being quite “war-like” when they spot an intruder.
Tags: Purple martins
