Trumpeter Swan
(Cygnus buccinator)
Conservation • Description • Habitat • Biology • Distribution • Taxonomy
Conservation Status |
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| IUCN Red List | LC - Least Concern |
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| NatureServe | N4B, N4N - Apparently Secure Breeding and Nonbreeding S2B, SNRN, SNRM - Imperiled Breeding, Unranked Breeding and Migrant |
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| Minnesota | Special Concern Species in Greatest Conservation Need |
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Description |
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The bill is all black with no knob at the upper base and no yellow lores. |
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Size |
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60″ to 72″ in length 72″ to 84″ wingspan |
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Voice |
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Similar Species |
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Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) bill is orange with a black knob at the upper base. It is a rare vagrant in eastern Minnesota. Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus) is smaller and usually has yellow lores. It is much more common and widespread. |
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Habitat |
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Lakes and large wetlands |
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Biology |
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Migration |
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Nesting |
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Food |
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Distribution |
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Occurrence |
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Reintroduced. Widely scattered breeder. The Trumpeter Swan population in Minnesota is estimated to be 30,000 birds in 2022. |
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Maps |
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The Minnesota Ornithologists’ Union All Seasons Species Occurrence Map |
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Taxonomy |
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| Class | Aves (birds) | ||
Order |
Anseriformes (waterfowl) | ||
Family |
Anatidae (ducks, geese, and swans) | ||
| Subfamily | Anserinae (true geese and swans) | ||
Genus |
Cygnus (true swans) | ||
Synonyms |
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Olor buccinator |
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Glossary
Lores
Small patches of skin between a bird’s eye and bill, one below each eye.
Visitor Photos |
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Share your photo of this bird. |
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| This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Attach one or more photos and, if you like, a caption. |
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Trumpeter Swans.... … The adult female is the one on the left and the adult male trumpeter toward the right. They are really family oriented so to speak. Really responsible and caring for their young. Beautiful too! |
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Dan W. Andree |
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Adult male Trumpeter Swan & 6 little Trumpeters.... June 2022 on a calm pond in Norman Co. Mn. |
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Adult Male Trumpeter Swan with 6 little trumpeters... This season is the first time I came across a pair of trumpeter swans that built a nest at the edge of a pond. The weather this spring was quite rainy, cooler and windier than most. Seemed more like May showers to bring June flowers. Slower to green up. The pond water kept rising after each torrential rains and the nest which was once attached to the shoreline became an island. The female would take cattail reeds etc. and build the nest higher and higher as the pond continued to rise throughout the month of May 2022. Not to mention winds and colder temps didn’t make things easier. Anyway to my surprise the female was determined to hatch those eggs and did hatch the 6 eggs that were in the nest. This is the adult male taking all six for a outing on the pond on a calm day(finally a calm one) it gave the female trumpeter time for herself. I also noticed that once all 6 got back into the nest with the female the male would pull cattail reeds, mud etc. and threw it on the sides of the nest making it more secure. Amazing how responsible and caring the adult trumpeter swans are toward their young and each other. |
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This image is a frame grab from 4k video I filmed of them on a pond in Norman co. Mn. June 9, 2022. They are a couple days old here. This particular adult pair know me really well. They visited this pond over the past few years or so but this is the first time I seen them nest here. They are very calm around me and do not see me as a threat of any sort. To me that is a real gift. If they were to get anxious or disturbed by my presence I would stay away but they accept me as just another non-threatening thing out in nature. |
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Trumpeter Swans at Nest... I came across this pair of nesting Trumpeter Swans recently out in rural Norman Co. Mn. A redwing blackbird just happened to be there adding interest to the scene. The female trumpeter on the nest had a small feather on the far side of her beak. She had been preening and a small feather stuck to it. Some seasons I had seen larger feathers temporarily stuck to the beak of a swan that was preening. Along the shoreline of a few ponds where swans have been sometimes I had noticed several smaller white feathers scattered here and there from previous swans preening. |
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Pair of Trumpeter Swans and a Greater Yellowlegs... ... the swan was preening its feathers while I was filming it and this yellowlegs decided to investigate. It walked over to the far right side of the swan paused briefly to look at the swan then walked back the direction it came out of the scene. ... lighting wasn’t bad and light winds as well as approachable trumpeters was a memorable experience and the yellowlegs added its curious character making it better. |
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In calm waters early Spring 2021. |
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Trumpeter Swan in Flight.... Trumpeters are big and beautiful |
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Trumpeters are beautiful... |
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| Pair of Trumpeters, Geese, 2 distant wood ducks and a pair of Sandhill Cranes across the water. |  |
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Canada geese and White as Snow Trumpeter Swans... |
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Trumpeter Swans in a harvested corn field... Seen them today in rural Norman Co. Mn. One is standing on one leg…resting the other I am thinking. |
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Luciearl |
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| Trumpeter swan parents with three cygnets. They will stay until the day before the lake is completely iced over. |  |
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Some stand watch as others feed. |
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Ramona Abrego |
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Margot Avey |
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| While walking yesterday, I happened upon Trumpeter Swans bathing & grooming. A spectacular event. I took photos of the entire event. |  |
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Gerry Garcia |
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Swans |
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Kirk Nelson |
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Swimming in Jensen Lake |
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Snelling Lake, Fort Snelling State Park |
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Christa Rittberg |
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Tom Baker |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos |
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Slideshows |
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| Trumpeter Swan Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren |
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| Trumpeter Swans at Riverlands 11/20/16 Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren |
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| Trumpeter Swan JMC Nature Photos |
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| Trumpeter Swans Craig A. Mullenbach |
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About
Most of these shots are taken in the old Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant around Lake Marsden. Mully410 Critical Blog |
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Visitor Videos |
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Share your video of this bird. |
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| This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Attach a video, a YouTube link, or a cloud storage link. |
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Kirk Nelson |
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| 0:04 / 0:30 Trumpeter Swans, MN Valley NWR - Long Meadow Lake Unit Jul 23, 2022 |
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About
Seen just off the Bluff Trail a little ways southwest of the parking lot at the Old Cedar Avenue Bridge. |
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Dan W. Andree |
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| "Trumpeter Swans" filmed by Dan W Andree 2022 Nov 6, 2022 |
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About
Meet the Trumpeters... This family of trumpeter swans were enjoying a couple fairly calm days on the pond. A lot of nature sounds at the time of this filming. The adult male would take all six little trumpeters (cygnets) out on the pond while the adult female took a break and time for herself. Then she too would join the rest as you will see near the end. A tightly bonded caring group they were. Hope you enjoy this. |
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| "Early Spring 2021 at the Pond" Nov 11, 2021 |
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About
Ponds and other natural bodies of water are critical habitat for trumpeter swans, geese, ducks etc. The video shows that and also 3 young trumpeter swans come in for a landing, and some Tundra swans taking off. Remnants of thin ice with a swan and geese walking & floating on. Filmed early spring at a pond in Minnesota. "Hope you enjoy this" |
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| "Talking Trumpeters" Published on Mar 7, 2016 |
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About
The Trumpeter Swans have, and continue to make a comeback after nearly being hunted to extinction by the early 1900's. Large beautiful birds they can sometimes be quite vocal to each other. No idea what they were saying, but they obviously understand one another. Wind made it difficult filming at times. |
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| "Trumpeter Swans" Published on Jan 16, 2016 |
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About
Nearly hunted to extinction by the early 1900's the Trumpeter Swan has made quite a comeback and I am glad they have. This brief video shows the Trumpeter Swans existing in their natural habitat along with ducks and geese etc. with a combination of natural swan sounds as well as instrumental music in areas. This is the first HD video of this type I have done using a DSLR camera with a 55-250mm zoom lens instead of a HD camcorder. |
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Other Videos |
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| Ultimate Animal Dads: Trumpeter Swans Animal Planet |
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About
Uploaded on May 26, 2009 Get more at http://animal.discovery.com/videos/ Trumpeter Swan dads are loyal to their families, mating for life with the mother swans. |
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| Trumpeter Swans jctiger00 |
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About
Uploaded on Apr 26, 2009 I have never heard anything like this. Birds can actually sound like a brass instrument. |
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| Trumpeter Swans MObirds |
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About
Uploaded on Aug 31, 2007 http://www.mdc.mo.gov/nathis/birds/emobirds/ Trumpeter swans are much larger than any other species of waterfowl. Adult trumpeters will average about 30 pounds and have a seven foot wing span. Young swans, called cygnets, are easy to identify, because they're gray, not white, until they're a year old. Hunting in the 1800s drove trumpeter swans to the brink of extinction. Restoration efforts in the upper Midwest have led to increased sightings of swans in Missouri as they migrate through during fall and winter months. And several trumpeter families have been found wintering in different areas around Missouri. But until people get used to seeing them, waterfowl hunters need to be careful. Shooting a protected trumpeter swan can cost thousands of dollars in fines. |
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| The REAL Swan Lake: Trumpeter Swans by the Hundreds Taking Flight (HD) Meg McDonald |
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About
Published on Jan 9, 2013 At a tiny lake in northwestern Washington State, hundreds of wintering trumpeter swans rest every night (between December and early March) and fly out from the lake at dawn to feed in nearby farm fields. This is Shadow Lake at the Bob Heirman Wildlife Preserve in Snohomish County, and these trumpeter swans are part of the Pacific Coast population that breeds during summers in the interior of Alaska and spends winters along the Pacific Coast as far south as Eugene, Oregon. Trumpeter swans are the largest waterfowl in North America. Unfortunately they were hunted nearly to extinction in the 1600s-1800s. Their long wing feathers were prized as elegant quill pens, and their skins were used to make cosmetic powder puffs. Today trumpeter swans are protected by law, but they're being poisoned by lead shot. Lead shot has been banned for waterfowl hunting, but it still may be used to hunt upland birds and is also used for target practice. The swans pick up lead shot pellets when they feed in wetlands and in winter farm fields. (Shadow Lake, the swan roost in this video, has been tested and is free of lead contamination.) Please help protect these lovely, graceful birds by never using lead shot for hunting or for target practice. Use only NONTOXIC shot (such as stainless steel), and ask your friends to do the same. For more information about trumpeter swans, please visit www.trumpeterswansociety.org. Please visit my beautiful photography website http://www.wildnwbeauty.com and my Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/WildNWBeauty for incredible high-resolution photographs of the majestic wild scenery and wildlife of the Pacific Northwest! You can find the music of Rho at http://full-source.com/nosource/netlabel/artists_rho.htm. |
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Visitor Sightings |
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Report a sighting of this bird. |
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| This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Be sure to include a location. |
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| Kirk Nelson 7/23/2022 |
Location: Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, Long Meadow Lake Unit Seen just off the Bluff Trail a little ways southwest of the parking lot at the Old Cedar Avenue Bridge. |
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| Dan W. Andree June 2022 |
Location: Norman Co. Mn. June 2022 on a calm pond in Norman Co. Mn. |
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| Dan W. Andree 6/9/2022 |
Location: Norman Co., Mn. This season is the first time I came across a pair of trumpeter swans that built a nest at the edge of a pond. The weather this spring was quite rainy, cooler and windier than most. Seemed more like May showers to bring June flowers. Slower to green up. The pond water kept rising after each torrential rains and the nest which was once attached to the shoreline became an island. The female would take cattail reeds etc. and build the nest higher and higher as the pond continued to rise throughout the month of May 2022. Not to mention winds and colder temps didn’t make things easier. Anyway to my surprise the female was determined to hatch those eggs and did hatch the 6 eggs that were in the nest. This is the adult male taking all six for a outing on the pond on a calm day(finally a calm one) it gave the female trumpeter time for herself. I also noticed that once all 6 got back into the nest with the female the male would pull cattail reeds, mud etc. and threw it on the sides of the nest making it more secure. Amazing how responsible and caring the adult trumpeter swans are toward their young and each other. This image is a frame grab from 4k video I filmed of them on a pond in Norman co. Mn. June 9, 2022. They are a couple days old here. This particular adult pair know me really well. They visited this pond over the past few years or so but this is the first time I seen them nest here. They are very calm around me and do not see me as a threat of any sort. To me that is a real gift. If they were to get anxious or disturbed by my presence I would stay away but they accept me as just another non-threatening thing out in nature. |
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| Dan W. Andree Spring 2022 |
Location: Norman Co. Mn. … The adult female is the one on the left and the adult male trumpeter toward the right. They are really family oriented so to speak. Really responsible and caring for their young. Beautiful too! |
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| Dan W. Andree Spring 2022 |
Location: rural Norman Co. Mn. I came across this pair of nesting Trumpeter Swans recently out in rural Norman Co. Mn. A redwing blackbird just happened to be there adding interest to the scene. The female trumpeter on the nest had a small feather on the far side of her beak. She had been preening and a small feather stuck to it. Some seasons I had seen larger feathers temporarily stuck to the beak of a swan that was preening. Along the shoreline of a few ponds where swans have been sometimes I had noticed several smaller white feathers scattered here and there from previous swans preening. |
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| Dan W. Andree 5/8/2021 |
Location: Norman Co., Mn. ... the swan was preening its feathers while I was filming it and this yellowlegs decided to investigate. It walked over to the far right side of the swan paused briefly to look at the swan then walked back the direction it came out of the scene. ... lighting wasn’t bad and light winds as well as approachable trumpeters was a memorable experience and the yellowlegs added its curious character making it better. |
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| Dan W. Andree Early Spring 2021 |
Location: A pond in Minnesota In calm waters early Spring 2021. |
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| Dan W. Andree 3/13/2021 |
Location: A Wildlife Refuge in Norman County, Minnesota |
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| Luciearl 12/10/2020 |
Location: Cass County Trumpeter swan parents with three cygnets. They will stay until the day before the lake is completely iced over. |
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| Dan W. Andree 9/9/2020 |
Location: in the air over Norman Co. near Sandpiper Prairie SNA. Trumpeters are big and beautiful |
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| Margot Avey 4/2/2020 |
Location: Westwood Hills Nature Center, St. Louis Park, MN While walking yesterday, I happened upon Trumpeter Swans bathing & grooming. A spectacular event. I took photos of the entire event. |
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| Gerry Garcia 9/28/2019 |
Location: Vermillion River Watershed about 7miles SW of Crane Lake |
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| Kirk Nelson 4/7/2019 |
Location: Lebanon Hills Regional Park Swimming in Jensen Lake |
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| Margot Avey 7/25/2019 |
Location: Westwood Hills Nature Center |
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| Ramona Abrego 4/24/2019 |
Location: Becker County |
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| Margot Avey 4/19/2019 |
Location: Westwood Hills Nature Center |
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| Margot Avey 4/18/2019 |
Location: Westwood Hills Nature Center |
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| Dan W. Andree 4/4/2018 |
Location: rural Norman Co, Mn. Trumpeter Swans in a previously harvested corn field in rural Norman Co, Mn. 2018 |
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| Dan W. Andree 4/1/2018 |
Location: Rural Norman Co. Mn. Pair of Trumpeters, Geese, 2 distant wood ducks and a pair of Sandhill Cranes across the water. Today (April 2, 2018) the water has froze there is a also a little more snow and they have gone elsewhere. |
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| Dan W. Andree 3/30/2018 |
Location: rural Norman Co. Mn. |
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| Dan W. Andree 3/25/2018 |
Location: rural Norman Co. Mn. One is standing on one leg…resting the other I am thinking. |
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| Kirk Nelson 1/19/2016 |
Location: Snelling Lake, Fort Snelling State Park I tried to use the noise of the planes landing to cover the sound of my approach, but they became aware of me soon enough and gave a few warning honks. Still, I was able to approach slowly and get to about 30 yards from them. When I sat still to watch, they would tuck their heads back under their wings, but as soon as I started moving they perked up again. |
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings |
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