Friday, October 23, 2015

October 23rd is Swallows Depart from San Juan Capistrano Day

Swallows Depart from San Juan Capistrano Day is celebrated annually on October 23.

The famous cliff swallows of San Juan Capistrano leave town every year in a swirling mass near the Day of San Juan (October 23) headed for their winter vacation spot 6,000 miles south in Goya, Corrientes, Argentina.

Cliff swallows are cousins of barn swallows and purple martins.

Swallows have long, narrow wings, forked tails, and weak, tiny feet. Extremely graceful in flight, they feed on the wing, catching insects in their wide mouths; they can effortlessly make abrupt changes in direction or speed as they feed.

The cliff swallow has a rusty rump and when seen from below, it appears to have a squared-off tail and a dark patch on the throat.

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