Purple martins, the annual summer residents of Vicksburg and other Southern climes, have come back for the warm weather — a harbinger, birdwatchers say, that spring is on the way.

Scouts for the small birds, all of which spend their winters in South America, have been seen in the Vicksburg area as early as January. This year, the first purple martin was spotted in Vicksburg on Feb. 7, Super Bowl Sunday, said Bruce Reid, director of the Audubon Society’s Lower Mississippi River Program.

While the martins are away, sparrows, such as the ones above, are known to nest in the martins’ houses, like these at Memorial Rose Garden on Monroe Street.

Purple martin houses, which should measure 7 inches-by12 inches, should be placed on poles of 10 to 20 feet in height and at least 40 feet from trees, according to the Purple Martin Conservation Association.

Reid said the common belief that the birds eat mosquitoes is wrong. Instead, they nibble on big-bodied flying insects, such as dragonflies.

“They’re just a great bird to enjoy because they provide a lot of song,” Reid said. “They’re a great urban bird.”