Martin frenzy

A plague of purple martins is afflicting Richmond, Va. The big swallows are at times beloved and hated in the old capital of the Confederacy. Now, the city is planning a festival to celebrate them.

What strikes me about this is that, to me, this isn't typical purple martin habitat. Usually they reside near golf courses, farms, airports or other open spaces--this is quite an urban area. Open enough, though, that a red-tailed hawk was present to feast on the martins, according to the story.