Earth Day: Walt Disney World_® Golf Continues Its Commitment to Supporting and Enhancing Our Local Environment

Written by WDW Golfer.

For many years, the Walt Disney World_® Golf courses have been certified by Audubon International as Cooperative Wildlife Sanctuaries. We take great pride in this accomplishment as part of our commitment to and stewardship of environmental sensitivity at our facilities.

In recognition of Earth Day, on April 22, we wanted to take a moment to showcase this effort through the Purple Martin nesting structures at Disney's Magnolia Golf Course, near the 10^th tee box and the 14^th green.

Purple Martins are the largest members of the Swallow family and breed throughout much of North America, though their numbers have declined in Florida in recent decades. They annually migrate several thousand miles from Brazil in South America, through Central America and the Caribbean, and arrive here in Central Florida from January to March.

In an effort to support their migration and nesting habits, human-built nesting structures are commonly used, such as those we installed at Walt Disney World_® Golf. Each structure contains multiple nest compartments and several others are located elsewhere around the Walt Disney World_®Resort as well.

The birds have begun nesting this year, and in partnership with Disney Conservation, Walt Disney World_® Golf team members check the nests weekly and monitor the progress of each purple martin pair and their chicks. Over 100 eggs have been laid and chicks have begun to hatch!

Once they have hatched, purple martin chicks take about a month to grow up until they are ready to leave the nest and fly! At the end of the nesting season, they will begin their migration back to South America in June to July, as our summer begins. Purple Martins tend to return each year, once they establish a breeding location, so we anticipate a regular presence of them well into the future.

This is an exciting part of what we do at Walt Disney World_® Golf and we hope that you have the opportunity to observe the activity of the Purple Martins at Disney's Magnolia Golf Course when you join us!

We look forward to welcoming you to the "Happiest Place on TURF!"