I Support Cliff Swallows

Volunteers from the Southwestern New Mexico Audubon Society, Aldo Leopold Charter School, and residents of Silver City have continued monitoring Cliff Swallows on the Western New Mexico University campus this year since the swallows arrived from South America two months ago. Our goal is to determine how many young are produced this summer, now that the 30 year-old practice of knocking down nests has been curtailed after working with, and educating university staff.

Recently, however, I noticed five nests were taken down at the entrance of the nursing building, despite no students on campus. Whoever is taking down these nests, please stop. There’s enough negativity in the news encompassing every realm, and there’s so much that we are not able to tackle as individuals. But this is one thing we CAN do. We can assist these birds to prosper merely by leaving them alone. Everyone I’ve talked with about Cliff Swallows enjoys their presence and appreciates the vast quantities of mosquitoes they consume, especially since viruses are expanding into new areas due to longer, warmer seasons. Let’s allow these birds to live and thrive. Observing the Cliff Swallows on campus improves the quality of my life, and I hope it does yours, too.

Carol Ann Fugagli

Silver City, NM