 Sound the Trumpeter |
June 6, 2008Arcticulates ®Focusing on Alaska's BeautyAuthor: K. FieldsSound the TrumpeterSwans Arrives in Alaska - Mating Season in April
They usually weigh around 21-30 pounds,tho the males can exceed 35 pounds. They have a wingspan of over 7 feet. Standing on the ground the Trumpeter Swan stands around 4 feet high. Trumpeter Swans were identified in 1850 in Alaska But they didn't realize until 1954 that they were breeding here. In 1968 the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service counted 2,844 Trumpeters. They were removed from the National Endangered Species List, but they are still classified as rare in some other states. The Census in 1990 resulted in a count of 13,000 Trumpeters in Alaska, which is considered to be 80% of the World's Trumpeter Swan population, and it has continued to increase to this very day. Trumpeter Swan Pair
Swans mate for life, usually when they are 2 years old, but they do not breed until the third, forth or fifth year. When ready to breed they begin to nest as early as the spring melt will permit in April. The female lays 2 to 7 eggs, tho 4 is the average over a 5-12 day period. Then takes care of the nesting, her lifetime mate (Cob)watches over her and guards the nest. They take turns incubating the eggs. It is during this time that the male (Cob) goes into molt, losing his wing feathers, rendering him flightless for approximately a month. There's about 31-35 days of incubation before the baby Swans (Cygnets) hatch. The baby Swans (Cygnets) hatch in June and they weigh around 7 ounces and their feathers will be Grey in color (up to 2 years) when they grow. Then for the next 11-15 weeks the Swan pair guards their Cygnets until they are fledged (flying). It is during this time that the adult female (Pen) goes into molt losing her wing feathers and cannot fly for approximately a month. Predators of the Cygnets are Snapping Turtles, Great Homed Owls, Mink, Raccoons, Coyotes, and Red Fox in the wild. Adult Trumpeter Swans with Yearling Swans (Grey color)
In the summer months the Swans eat foliage, seeds and various marsh plants namely Horsetail, Pondweeds, Sedge, Bulrush, Water Milfoil, Widgeon Grass, and Pond Lily. They live up to their names with a deep French horn like sound when they call. Recently, Alaska Trumpeter Swan eggs have been sent to several Midwestern states, where restoration programs are re establishing nesting Swans, where they have not been seen in 100 years. Click Here to learn more about Trumpeter Swans Later... K Fields See Also: Busy As A Beaver!
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