The Tundra Swan

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The Tundra Swan is similar in appearance to the Trumpeter Swan. The Tundra Swan is the smaller of the two, measuring 45 to 58 inches in length with a wing span of 67 to 77 inches. Both swans have white plumage but their bills are different. The Tundra Swan's bill is slightly dish-shaped while the Trumpeter Swan's is wedge-shaped. The easiest way to tell them apart is by their calls. The Tundra Swan's voice is soft and melodious, the Trumpeter Swan sounds like an out of tune French Horn.

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The Tundra Swan spends the summer on the tundra. The ones breeding along the west coast of Alaska and throughout the Yukon migrate along the western coastline. Their wintering grounds cover a wide area from British Columbia to central California. The ones breeding in eastern Alaska and Canada migrate along the east coast as far south as North Carolina.

As the name implies, the Tundra Swan spends the breeding season on the tundra. The pair mate for life and work together to build the nest. A nest mound is built of uprooted plants near a large pond or lake. The nest is built on top of the mound. The nest is 6 t0 12 feet in diameter and 1 to 2 feet above the water level.

The pin (female swan) lays 4 to 7 eggs. Unlike the Trumpeter Swan, the pair of Tundra Swans take turns incubating the nest. During the incubation phase the cob (male swan) will molt which leaves him flightless for about a month. The cygnets (young swans) hatch in 31 to 35 days and fledge at 11 to 15 weeks. The Tundra Swans fledge earlier than the Trumpeter Swans allowing them to nest in the tundra where the summers are shorter.

The cygnets stay with the adults throughout the year and the family is often joined by offspring from previous years. It young will reach breeding age in 2 to 3 years.

During the breeding season the Tundra Swan's diet consists of aquatic vegetation uprooted from the shoreline or the bottom of shallow lakes and streams. During the winter they forage through open fields eating cultivated grains.

The Tundra Swan has a high-pitched, quavering call. The sound is often confused with that of the Canada Goose. They are often referred to as the whistling swan, but the call is more of a barking bow-wow-wow or a wow-wow-wow.

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The Tundra Swan has few natural predators. Their numbers are stable but they are increasingly dependent on agricultural crops due to the loss of aquatic vegetation. The Tundra Swan's numbers declined in the West during the mid to late 19th century corresponding with the westward movement of man. Habitats were lost to farm lands and cities sprung up along lake shores and rivers.

While the Tundra Swan's population is less than it was in the 19th century, their numbers are fairly stable.

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