Bank Swallow Nesting Cliffs

Stop on Fort Funston Historic & Scenic Tour, a free self-guided tour.

Fort Funston is one of only two coastal nesting sites in California for bank swallows, a state-threatened species. These remarkable birds dig horizontal tunnels into the sandstone cliffs, creating burrows where they raise their young between March and June. The soft sandstone provides ideal nesting habitat, and the colony here is carefully protected by the National Park Service. Visitors can observe the swallows from designated viewing areas along the Sunset Trail during nesting season. The birds perform acrobatic aerial displays as they catch insects over the beach and dunes. In July and August, the young birds learn to fly and soon after, the entire colony migrates south for the winter. Interpretive signs explain the biology and conservation efforts protecting these fascinating birds. The nesting area is closed to the public to prevent disturbance, but viewing scopes and information panels allow visitors to safely observe this threatened species. The presence of bank swallows highlights Fort Funston's importance as both a recreational area and wildlife habitat.