Mike Braun: “I rise today on another topic, one that is dear to me. I have been involved in this pastime since I was 10 years old.…”

“I rise today on another topic, one that is dear to me. I have been involved in this pastime since I was 10 years old. Most of you may not know where I am going to go, but it is one of the most unique birds that the good Lord ever created. It is called a purple martin. It is a bird, about 8 ounces or so, that migrates back and forth from North America to the Amazon. Does it each year. I became a landlord for them back many, many years ago. And it is the only bird, through adapting, that is now totally dependent on man-made housing--you have seen gourds out there. They are a bird that only lives in a colony; most song birds are territorial. A really unique bird. There is actually an association called the Purple Martin Conservation Association, where avid supporters support it across the country. Due to habitat loss over time, where their normal habitat would have been in the wild, many years ago Inuits lured them into their own communities because the purple martins only eat flying insects. Truly an amazing bird that has been under some pressure recently. And if that heritage isn't continued, since they are now dependent on man-made housing, we could lose one of the most unique birds that God ever created. Efforts from conservationists across the country have been mostly behind making sure that this heritage remains. This is a resolution that celebrates the efforts of all of them.…”