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Migration. Long-distance migrant. Cliff Swallows spend several months migrating at a leisurely pace through Mexico, Central America, and eastern South America to reach their wintering grounds. They migrate during daytime in groups of up to several hundred, foraging as they move.
Species Migration Maps show the movements of a single species as it travels throughout the hemisphere each year. See where the Cliff Swallow travels throughout the hemisphere each year.
Static map. Downloads. Range. The range map depicts the boundary of the species's range, defined as the areas where the species is estimated to occur within at least one week within each season. Learn more. Breeding season. 7 Jun - 13 Jul. Non-breeding season. 30 Nov - 11 Jan. Pre-breeding migratory season. 18 Jan - 31 May.
Migration & Range Maps. A long-distance migrant, wintering in southern South America. Migrates in flocks, traveling by day.
The cliff swallow is famous for their regular migration to San Juan Capistrano, California. [14] They nest at the church of Mission San Juan Capistrano, where their annual migration is culturally celebrated. A 1940 song by Leon René, "When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano", celebrates this event.
Cliff swallows also migrate southward into Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Bahamas. There have also been multiple sightings of the birds migrating into South America, south through Paraguay, Argentina, and Bolivia mainly, but the definite range is unknown.
Identification. Compact swallow with a short, square tail. In flight, looks slightly less angular than other swallows, with more rounded wings. Note pale buffy-orange rump, which separates Cliff from most other swallows in range. Also look for dark throat and pale forehead.
