Purple Martins Return! Epcot Flower & Garden 2025. This post originally appeared on March 10th, 2025. We have updated it with the release of information on April 25th, 2025, directly from the Disney Parks Blog:
Orlando, FL – Each spring, a vibrant purple hue and cheerful chirping fill the skies above Walt Disney World, heralding the arrival of purple martin nesting season. For Disney conservationists, this annual migration is a heartwarming event, marking the return of a tiny avian traveler from the distant Brazilian Amazon.
A 3,000-Mile Trek for Nesting Paradise: These remarkable birds embark on an incredible journey of over 3,000 miles, seeking warmer climates and a familiar haven: Walt Disney World. Since 1998, the resort has become a preferred nesting destination for these migratory marvels.
“Cartoon Trees” with a Purpose: Across EPCOT and Disney resort hotels, curious white structures resembling whimsical trees stand tall. These “colony sites” are meticulously designed birdhouses, providing purple martins with safe and comfortable spaces to lay their eggs and raise their young.
Home Sweet Habitat: Fifteen days after eggs are laid, tiny hatchlings emerge, becoming the center of attention for their dedicated parents. While the mothers diligently incubate the eggs and keep the nestlings warm, both parents actively participate in feeding their offspring and maintaining the cleanliness of their unique abode.
Luxury Living for Little Birds: Disney’s conservation team invests hundreds of hours each year preparing these nesting compartments, ensuring a secure and welcoming environment for the visiting birds. These aren’t just any birdhouses; they are arguably the most stylish on the migratory route, explaining why many purple martins return to the same Disney addresses year after year, making it a true home away from home.
Purple Martins are the largest members of the Swallow family and are considered a “Watch List” species. They annually migrate several thousand miles from Brazil in South America through Central America and across the Gulf of Mexico, typically arriving here in Central Florida in January and February. The Purple Martin is a staple of the beginning of Epcot’s International Flower & Garden Festival. They have returned in 2025, even if the Songbird Meadow garden has not.
Find magic in bloom at an event full of flowers, flavor, and fun—March 5 to June 2, 2025! Check out the new Topiaries, Spike the Bee Scavenger Hunt, and get a Bee-Eyed View at CommuniCore Hall.
No matter where you travel inside the Walt Disney World resort area during this time of year, you will see poles with multiple white gourd-looking things secured to the tops. From Disney’s Animal Kingdom to the Walt Disney World Golf courses, they are everywhere, including a very large collective of structures in between World Celebration and World Nature in Epcot. These are Purple Martin nesting facilities.
One of the little-known Flower & Garden activities is talking to the Disney Conservation Cast Members who are normally found around the Purple Martin nesting hotels. The birds will begin to nest upon arrival, and trained conservationists from Disney’s Animal Kingdom will visit Epcot to engage in routine scheduled checks of the nests and periodic bird counts to monitor the progress of the new residents and count their eggs.
Purple Martin “Hotels”: Disney Cast Members are working to monitor and protect the purple martin, a small songbird. The purple martins at Walt Disney World Resort travel an incredible 3,000 miles (4,800 km) from their winter grounds in Brazil, with one important mission: to raise their young. Disney is happy to host our purple martin families with special housing. So keep an eye out for the white nesting compartments installed for them throughout the Resort.
Migratory Birds – Disney Animals Wing your way over to discover a variety of fabulous feathered friends.
Migratory bird species around the world are threatened by the loss of stopover habitats where they can find food and clean water as well as by pollution and impacts caused by human development.
The Walt Disney Company is committed to saving wildlife and protecting the magic of nature together as a global community. Since 1995, the Disney Conservation Fund* (DCF) has supported migratory bird conservation efforts by protecting habitats, investing in long-term research, and supporting the education of communities that live in and near migratory bird habitats. In addition, support from the DCF is helping nonprofit organizations study and protect purple martins from Brazil to Florida.
Purple Martins Return! Epcot Flower & Garden 2025
