Trumpeter Swans
The trumpeter swan is the rarest bird in the world. Trumpeters are not only beautiful but are marvelously effective ambassadors for wetland habitat. Trumpeters once nested in Canada in the central regions of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. In Ontario and Quebec, they nested along the shores of James Bay. At that time the species was widely populated.
In the 1800's, hunters declared war on the Trumpeter. Their skin, feathers and meat was much sought after. Between 1853 and 1877, the Hudson's Bay Company sold 17,671 skins of assorted swans. By 1900, the Trumpeters were almost extinct. In 1933, the estimated population of the species was sixty-six birds. The breeding ground of these birds was in Wyoming, within the boundaries of Yellowstone National Park, under the watchful eye of the U.S. government. A few birds still lived in Alaska, Alberta and Montana. By 1968, the population had recouped. Reports from that time indicate there were 3,461 Trumpeters in the U.S. and 4,000 - 5,000 in Canada.
Trumpeter swans are migratory birds. They spend the spring, summer and fall in Alberta. As ice melts from lakes and sloughs, the massive birds glide in on wind currents. They are not strong flyers. They travel only far enough to find suitable habitats for nesting and wintering. They search for shallow lakes that have an abundance of aquatic plants, insects and snails. These are used for both nest sites and food. Remote areas are essential to the survival of the Trumpeters. They dislike contact with humans and will abandon their nests if disturbed.
Fall migration begins in late October or early November, depending on when the lakes and sloughs begin to freeze. The swans gather for the flight south. They only travel long enough to find an area where shallow lakes and streams are in abundance. Birds from Canada's western provinces usually move to Yellowstone Lake. When temperatures fall, they move to a fork of the Snake River in eastern Idaho. The area has fast flowing streams and hot springs that never freeze. While wintering, the Trumpeters spend most of their time eating and resting for their return trip to their nesting grounds. Trumpeters frequent the same area each year.
If kept in captivity, Trumpeters can live up to thirty-five years. In the wild their life span is much shorter - about twelve years. They have many predators of which man is the worst. Families always remain together. Older birds guide the young to the wintering grounds.
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