More About Trumpeter Swans

It appears that Trumpeter swans were very near extinction. Trumpeter Swans had been native to North America until their near demise. Traditionally, trumpeter swans would migrate from Southern US up to the Arctic.

Biologists began to try to restore the species. There was one female in particular that lived in the marsh near Burlington. She took flight out to Hamilton Harbour and spent winter there. This began a "mini migration" for this female and her resulting offspring which continues today. Evidently she herself became the Nokomis not only of her 70 some odd offspring, but perhaps to the whole restoration process.

Scientist have found that re-introducing to the US with the expectation of full migration returning has had very poor success. They decided to concentrate on realing in Canada and the today the numbers in Ontario are around 1000. 200 of those 1000 maintain the "mini migration". A certain number of these birds have returned to the Arctic migration pattern and yet many others remain un accounted for. The scientist are trying to find some of these "secret" brooding locations.

Scientists and biologists have been marking these birds with a large yellow tags. The tag of the bird that landed in Emerald Lake Temagami said 907. While I was researching I saw a video clip of biologists tagging these birds. One of the birds on the video had a tag 914. I would be willing to bet that this Trumpeter Swan winters over in Hamilton Harbour, where the video was taken.

These are truly magnificent birds and they have a wing span of almost 8 feet!

If you have any stories about swans, share them with me.

Here is an article about the Arctic Tundra Swan, which is another slightly smaller, yet still magnificent bird. http://www.thestar.com/News/Ontario/article/350032

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