blog posts Purple martin migration behavior perplexes researchers Sep 30, 2019 9:15 am by Tiffany JolleyNatural History Survey Share on Facebook Tweet Email Auriel Fournier, the director of the Forbes Biological Station at the Illinois Natural History Survey, studies the migratory behavior of purple martins.Photo by Tiffany Jolley Images Purple martins will soon migrate south for their usual wintertime retreat, but this time the birds will be wearing what look like little backpacks, as scientists plan to track their roosting sites along the way. Share on Facebook Tweet Email