FRIDAY 08/14/2026: Catching the purple martin migration in Kansas

Purple martins are back in Kansas. Thousands of the birds are gathering near the Wichita airport each evening as they prepare for their annual migration. Plus: A small town in south-central Kansas proudly bears the nickname “Midway USA,” positioning itself firmly between California and New York.Tens of thousands of purple martins are meeting up in Wichita in preparation for their annual migration. As Suzanne Perez of the Kansas News Service reports, the nightly spectacle has also become a gathering for bird watchers.For more than 80 years, a sign near U.S. Highway 50 has served as the midway marker for cross-country travelers making their way through Kansas. KMUW's Beccy Tanner takes us to Kinsley, where the historic sign points the way in two directions.Contact the show at [email protected]. Follow KCUR on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news.Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios, and edited by Emily Younker and Luke X. Martin.You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.