Birds with a Mission

No one is sure why swallows travel 7,500 miles to San Juan Capistrano every March. But when they arrive, it’s time to celebrate.

Photos Courtesy of San Juan Capistrano Historical Society

he county is full of natural wonders, but perhaps none is as great or mysterious as the legendary return of the swallows to San Juan Capistrano. Every year around March 19, coinciding with the Catholic Feast of St. Joseph holiday, these tiny birds arrive following a 7,500-mile, month-long journey from northern Argentina. Why San Juan Capistrano? No one knows for sure. But their arrival is cause for celebration.

Though the migration has likely taken place for centuries, bird lovers and mission staff first noticed the swallows nesting in the historic mission’s cracks and crevices in the early 1900s.

The local media covered the phenomenon, starting with the Los Angeles Times in 1924, and Leon René immortalized the event in his 1939 song, “When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano.”

Soon, an annual celebration of the return of the swallows took shape. The mission marks the Fiesta de las Golondrinas, or “Festival of the Swallows,” with its Return of the Swallows Celebration, which took place March 15. The full day of activities included live mariachi bands; traditional Spanish, Mexican and Native American dancing; and two children from the Mission Parish School being crowned king and queen of St. Joseph’s Day.

Outside the mission walls, the city of San Juan Capistrano also celebrates the Fiesta de las Golondrinas with the annual Swallows Day Parade. Now in its 50th year, the parade marches down Camino Capistrano on March 29 starting at 11 a.m. The event celebrates not only the swallows, but the city’s rich history and cultural diversity. With its many horses and horse-drawn carriages, the event is one of the nation’s largest non-motorized parades.

With all the events heralding the return of the swallows, one part remains uncertain: the swallows themselves. Once arriving by the thousands, the swallows now appear in much smaller numbers. Some cite coastal development, structural changes to the mission and even climate change for the decrease. But whatever the reasons, the celebrations seem certain to continue – whether the swallows attend or not.

For more information on Mission San Juan Capistrano’s Return of the Swallows Celebration, call (949) 234-1300 or visit www.missionsjc.com. For more on the Swallows Day Parade visit www.swallowsparade.com.

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