Swan Song

Trumpeter swans are the largest waterbirds in North America. The wing span of these birds can be as much as 3 metres. Trumpeter Swans weigh more than any other bird native to North America with adults weighing between 15-30 pounds. I did not know until recently that these swans live in the wild in Ontario. I always think of them on the Rideau River in Ottawa, floating serenely about all summer and then put in a barn for the winter. Or swimming along the Avon River in Stratford, Ontario or at zoos. And then, one day, in late November, 2017, R89 showed up at our dock!!

I was quite surprised! He was swimming with a flock of Canada Geese. The flock swam by quickly and were gone. I thought he must be an escapee from somewhere. But the next day . . .

There he was again - across the river. This time I went down to the water's edge with my camera. When I talked to him, he swam right over.

Trumpeter swans forage in shallow water for aquatic vegetation, eating leaves, tubers and roots. These large birds live up to 12 years in the wild, but can reach up to 35 years in captivity. They have few natural predators. Occasionally , eagles, owls, coyote and mink may prey on the young and sick adult swans, however, human influence is a main cause of death to these birds, including lead poisoning due to ingesting lead sinkers,  collisions with man-made objects (e.g., cars and power lines) and habitat loss.

Originally native to Ontario, the Trumpeter swan's disappearance from eastern Canada over 200 years was primarily due to hunting pressure and habitat loss - in 1993 only 77 Trumpeter swans were breeding in Canada. In 1982, biologist Harry Lumsden began a provincial reintroduction program to re-establish the Trumpeter swan to its former habitat and range. As a result, the Trumpeter swan population in south-central Ontario has seen a significant comeback. There are over 1,000 Trumpeter swans in south-central Ontario now, and about 200 of these winter at LaSalle Park in Burlington.

LaSalle Park, Burlington. Photo taken by Bob and Jean, Frame to Frame

  
When I saw R89, I spoke to very helpful staff at a couple local wildlife protection organizations. They put me in touch with the woman who actually banded R89! She gave me a lot of useful and interesting information. Red, green and yellow tags are commonly used to band trumpeter swans, although collars and leg bands are also used. A yellow tag indicates the swan was banded in Ontario. Green and orange tags are used in Minnesota and Michigan. R89 is male, banded at Washago Centennial Park in January of 2017. He still had grey in his wings, so probably hatched in 2015. He remained in Washago until March 2017 and there were no more sightings of him until I saw him in November.

On the hunt for R89 at LaSalle Park, Burlington, Jan. 2018! photo credit: Paula Nolet 16/01/18

LaSalle Park, Burlington, February, 2018  photo credit: Paula Nolet 01/02/18

Trumpeter Swan Sightings: To report a Trumpeter Swan Sighting, go to: www.wyemarsh.com or email: trumpeterswan@live.com. The Wyemarsh site has a link to a simple reporting form.

For more information: The following websites have lots of information about Trumpeter Swans: www.wyemarsh.com; www.trumpeterswancoalition.com; www.trumpeterswansociety.org