Swallows Return to the Living Coast
You’ve probably heard of the famous Swallows returning to the Mission San Juan Capistrano in Orange County but did you know that many of those swallows now return to the Living Coast instead? It all started with repairs at the mission in 1998, which uprooted the swallows who, for years, returned to the iconic mission. While swallows still return to Capistrano, many have found other places to nest — and return to them, instead of the mission, annually.
Many organizations have gained swallows due to the mission’s loss, including the Japanese Garden in Van Nuys and a posh country club in Chino Hills. Though Mission San Juan Capistrano continues to lure swallows back, not everything has worked.
The American Cliff Swallow is a member of the passerine bird family Hirundinidae — the swallows and martins. It breeds in North America and is migratory, wintering in western South America from Venezuela southwards to northeast Argentina. You can read the lore about these particular San Juan Capistrano Swallows here: Legend of the Swallows. You can also read about Cliff Swallows in AllAboutBirds.org or come see our visitors at the Living Coast. You might even start a tradition of returning every spring to see swallows nesting and raising their young.
Here’s a short video of swallows nesting at the Living Coast. Enjoy!
