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The story of Larry Leonard, central Minnesota’s “purple martin man”

Purple martins are noisy birds. When Bill Marchel visited Larry Leonard’s central-Minnesota colony, the birds constantly were squawking and emitting gurgling warbles and loud chatter. For more information on these charismatic birds, visit the Purple Martin Conservation Association at www.purplemartin.org. (Photo courtesy of Bill Marchel)

“It all began in the early 1970s,” Larry Leonard said. “I built a purple martin house and put it up. Before I had the last nut tightened on the pole, martins were checking out the house.”
According to Leonard, back then, martins were plentiful in his south Brainerd neighborhood. Time passed, and eventually his martin house fell into disrepair. His martin colony had decreased to one pair. 
“Then I discovered the Purple Martin Conservation Association,” Leonard said. “I built appropriate housing and became an active landlord.” His passion for martins became an exciting hobby.

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