Trumpeter Swan

Trumpeter swans are the largest waterfowl in North America. They are recognized by their white plumage and black beaks that extend to their eyes. Trumpeter swans typically mate for life. Adults are flightless for about one month i the summer when they molt. Females and males will then molt at different times so that one parent will be able to fly and the other will be able to remain with the young.

Trumpeter Swan at the Akron Zoo

The trumpeter swans can be found in the waterfowl pond in Legends of the Wild.

Sakari - female
Isla - female

Classification

Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Genus: Cygnus
Species: C. buccinators

Fun Fact

Since they are so large, trumpeter swans need at least 100 yards of open water to get a good running start before they fly.

Habitat

The trumpeter swan inhabits freshwater lakes, ponds, rivers and marshes.

Geographic Range

The trumpeter swan is a migratory bird with multiple populations. There is a population that breeds along the coast of Alaska and Canada that then migrates to British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest. Breeding birds from the interior of Alaska and Canada winter in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. Birds with a more southern location are non-migratory.

Diet

Trumpeters feed on the tubers of duck potato, the stems and leaves of waterweed, sage pondweed, musk grass and duckweed. They use their long necks and powerfill bills to reach down in the water and pull up roots and stems that other birds cannot reach. In the winter, they will also eat crops such as corn and barley.

Population Status

Trumpeter swans are listed as least concern by the IUCN Red List and numbers are increasing.

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Trumpeter Swan at the Akron Zoo

Classification

Fun Fact

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