The Trumpeter Swan is named for its loud, bugling call, which contrasts with the much quieter Mute Swan. One of Canada's largest birds, Trumpeter Swans must run across the water to take off, and their heavy wing-beats can be heard as they fly overhead.
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Trumpeter Swan
There are three populations of Trumpeter Swans in North America: the Pacific Coast population, the Rocky Mountain population, and the Interior population. Based on the most recent population estimates from the North American Trumpeter Swan Survey in 2015, there are approximately 24,000 individuals in the Pacific Coast population. Roughly 9% of the breeding population is in Yukon and northwestern British Columbia, while most of the remainder that breed in Alaska overwinter in southern British Columbia or at least pass through Canada as migrants. Overall, Canada has very high responsibility for this population. Roughly 11,000 individuals of the Rocky Mountain population breed in Alberta, northeastern British Columbia, western Saskatchewan, and southern Yukon and the Northwest Territories. This represents approximately 95% of the population. There are around 10,000 individuals breeding in the Canadian portion of the interior population, representing 37% of the total, and moderate responsibility. Although regional and national results from the Breeding Bird Survey all have low precision because of the small numbers in early years, they all show very large increases relative to 1970, that are also reflected in the Christmas Bird Count results, allowing for high confidence in status. The Rocky Mountain and Interior populations are within their goal ranges. The Pacific Coast population is slightly below its goal based on the most recent population estimate from 2015, but considering the increasing trend, it may also be within its goal range by now.
Canadian populations of Trumpeter Swan are primarily monitored by the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) and Christmas Bird Count (CBC). Both are classified as having low precision, but that is largely because of dramatic growth from very small populations in the 1970s. The BBS is the most reliable source, as data collection is more standardized than in the CBC, and regional populations can be examined individually. However, the CBC is also relevant, as a majority of the North American population breeds in or migrates through Canada. The BBS shows an overall increase of more than 2500% since 1970, with growth especially large in the interior population. This is strongly corroborated by the CBC, which indicates an increase of more than 1600% over the same period. The North American Trumpeter Swan Survey has provided targeted monitoring in the past, but as the most recent results are from 2015, it provides limited insight to current status.
The goals for the national, Pacific Coast, Rocky Mountain, and Interior populations of Trumpeter Swan are to remain at or above their recent population levels, based on the Breeding Bird Survey. Trend data show that all population are currently within their goal ranges.
| Designation | Geographic Area | Status | CITATION |
|---|---|---|---|
| IUCN | Global | Least Concern | |
| Wild Species | Canada | Apparently secure |
The Trumpeter Swan is named for its loud, bugling call, which contrasts with the much quieter Mute Swan. One of Canada's largest birds, Trumpeter Swans must run across the water to take off, and their heavy wing-beats can be heard as they fly overhead.
Trumpeter Swan is reported year-round in Canada, with a dip in the summer months when the birds move to more secluded breeding habitats.