Arkansas State Northwest Purple Martin Capital

City of Fort Smith

Adopted in 1993

The term "flyway" has long been used to designate the migration routes of birds. For management purposes, four waterfowl flyways - Pacific, Central, Mississippi, and Atlantic - were established in the United States in 1948. To varying degrees the waterfowl populations using each of these flyways differ in abundance, species composition, migration pathways, and breeding ground origin. There are differences, also, in levels of shooting pressure and harvest.

Since the purple martin, a bird known for its appetite for flying insects, is deemed by most as an attractive asset for its appearance, song, cleanliness, and diet - America's Most Wanted Bird, and since the City of Lake Village in Chicot County of southeastern Arkansas is located along the North-South Flyway, the major migration route for millions of birds, the City of Fort Smith is hereby designated as the "Northwest Purple Martin Capital of Arkansas

Arkansas State Northwest Purple Martin Capital:
City of Fort Smith

Arkansas Law

The law designating the City of Fort Smith as the official Arkansas state "Northwest Purple Martin Capital of Arkansas" is found in the Arkansas Code, Title 1, Chapter 4, Section 1-4-121.

Title 1 - General Provisions
Chapter 4 - State Symbols, Motto, Etc.
§ 1-4-121 - Purple martin capitals.

Universal Citation: AR Code § 1-4-121 (2012)

(a) Since the purple martin, a bird known for its appetite for flying insects, is deemed by most as an attractive asset for its appearance, song, cleanliness, and diet - America's Most Wanted Bird, and since the City of Lake Village in Chicot County of southeastern Arkansas is located along the North-South Flyway, the major migration route for millions of birds, the City of Lake Village in Chicot County, shall be designated by the General Assembly to be known as the "Southeast Purple Martin Capital of the State of Arkansas".

(b) The City of Fort Smith is hereby designated as the "Northwest Purple Martin Capital of Arkansas".