From John Windau, Wildlife Communications Specialist, District Two, Findlay, Ohio
There are two species of swans native to Ohio, the tundra swan and the trumpeter swan. Trumpeter swans are the larger of the two, both of which are native
species of the United States. Although tundra swans do migrate
through Ohio in the spring and fall, the trumpeter is the only native species
that nests in Ohio. The adult trumpeter has snow white plumage with a black
bill and feet. The young birds, or cygnets, are a sooty gray color with a pinkish
colored bill and feet. The bill of a trumpeter swan may also have a red border
on the lower jaw that gives the bird the appearance of wearing lipstick. The
name trumpeter comes from the bird’s song, described as a resonant, deep and
loud, trumpet-like call. In contrast, tundra swans, also known as whistling
swans, have a much higher pitched call than trumpeter swans.
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| trumpeter swans and cygnets photo from the Trumpeter Swan Society |
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| tundra swan Photo from the Trumpeter Swan Society |
By 1900, trumpeter
swans were extirpated from most of their historic range, including Ohio. In
1996, the Division of Wildlife began working on a project, in partnership with
the Mississippi Flyway Council, the Cleveland Metropark Zoo, The Wilds and
Ducks Unlimited, to restore trumpeter swans to Ohio. The reintroduction plan
called for the release of 150 trumpeter swans in selected Ohio wetlands with a
goal of at least 15 breeding pairs by 2006. This unique reintroduction was
initiated to restore diversity to Ohio’s fauna and to promote wildlife
enjoyment opportunities on Division of Wildlife managed wetland areas.
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Today, trumpeter swans are classified as
“Threatened” in Ohio and can be found in only 13 of Ohio’s 88 counties with 28
breeding pairs calling Ohio home in 2013. The Division of Wildlife’s trumpeter
swan management goal is to increase its range within Ohio from the current 13
counties to 15 counties and to increase the number of breeding pairs from 28
pairs to 40 pairs within the state by 2020.
However, the chorus is not all radiant for the
trumpeter swans. Another swan, ironically named the mute swan, is attempting to
silence trumpeter swans in Ohio and neighboring states.
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| mute swan Photo from the Trumpeter Swan Society |
Mute
swans are native to Eurasia and were introduced into North America during the
late 1800s as decorative waterfowl. They have now established feral populations
throughout North America from escaped and released birds. Mute swans were first
recorded in Ohio in 1911 at Silver Lake in Akron where they were wing-clipped
annually until 1934 when the birds were allowed to fly away. Mute swans are now
an exotic, invasive species that threaten to displace native wetland wildlife.
Mute swans are sedentary birds that typically only
migrate short distances when dictated by severe weather. Because of this, mute
swans typically establish nesting territories 3 weeks earlier than trumpeter
swans. Mute swans will aggressively defend their nesting territories against
other native wildlife, including trumpeter swans. With only about 100,000 acres
of marsh existing in Ohio, competition for limited habitat has the potential to
negatively impact the success of the trumpeter swan restoration program.
In addition, mute swans feed almost exclusively on
aquatic vegetation (up to 8 pounds per day!) In high densities, mute swan
populations can severely reduce food availability for native waterfowl, uproot
wetland plants and even destroy an entire wetland ecosystem.
Mute swans can be identified by their orange bill
with a black knob at the base. Mute swans also hold their necks in an S-curve
when on the water, unlike trumpeter and tundra swans. Despite their name, these
birds are not actually soundless. They can make a variety of hisses, bugles and
other sounds.
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| Photo courtesy of the Trumpeter Swan Society |
Regionally, the populations of mute swans have
begun to grow exponentially. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources
reports that, in the last 10 years the number of mute swans has nearly tripled.
Without management of mute swan populations, long-term detrimental impacts may
occur to Ohio’s wetland habitats and native species like trumpeter swans.