Lake County has a wide array of birds ranging from pelicans and ospreys to egrets. All have their place in our environment. One bird that draws a lot of attention, especially during the spring months, is the cliff swallow.
The cliff swallow is a tiny bird. On average it weighs only a few ounces and is less than 6 inches long, yet it travels thousands of miles during its annual migration. The cliff swallow can be identified by its square tail, blue back and white forehead. Cliff swallows are considered “migratory birds” and spend the winter in South America. They start their migration north in the late winter or early spring. The famed swallows of the Mission San Juan Capistrano in Southern California are cliff swallows.
The swallows only migrate during daylight hours because they have to feed as they fly. They feed on flying insects and can catch even the smallest of insects. In fact, the start of their annual spring migration is based on the availability of insects.
Upon arriving at their selected nesting area they build nests beneath docks or beneath the eaves of buildings located near water. Often they return to the same nest from the previous year.
Their nests are gourd-shaped and are made from mud and lined with feathers. The birds gather the mud by rubbing their chests and feet in the wet mud. The mud forms little balls and sticks to their chest and feet, which they then carry to the nest. One nest can contain up to 2,000 mud balls. The entrance to the nest always points downward. Both the female and male build the nest, which can take several days to complete.
Cliff swallows nest in colonies and some of the docks around the lake will hold up to a dozen or more nests. Bridges, such as the one that crosses Rodman Slough, are also popular nesting areas. The female lays from four to six white eggs. An unusual trait of the cliff swallow is that a female will often move her eggs into the nest of another swallow.
Both the male and female incubate the eggs, which hatch in 12-16 days. About 20 days after hatching the young are ready to fly.
After spending the summer in the county, the swallows start their southward migration to South America in late September. They are gone by mid-November.
Cliff swallows are either loved or hated depending on where they nest. They can be a problem for dock owners as they build mud nests beneath the roofs of the docks and on the sides of buildings that are located near the lake. The nests result in droppings and unwanted insects. There is even an insect called the “swallow bug” that is related to bed bugs.
Many dock owners around the lake install fine mesh nets around their docks to discourage the swallows from nesting. Some even go as far as destroying the nests.
Because the swallow falls under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, destroying an active nest or harming the bird is illegal. In fact, it’s illegal to disturb a swallow that is sitting on eggs. However, there are ways to prevent the swallows from becoming a pest. Most of the methods consist of preventing the birds from building nests in the first place.
Lake County also has a close relative of the cliff swallow in the barn swallow. Whereas occasionally a barn swallow builds a nest on a dock, most build their nests inland. Its long and forked tail is easily identifiable. The interesting fact about barn swallows is that the female selects her mate by the length of his tail.
Swallows are important in that they help control the insect population. They are also fun to watch as they dart around the docks.
Cliff swallows are just one of many species of birds visiting Lake County each year. Most of the time they go unnoticed by local residents, but the cliff swallow is one bird that is a rare treat.
