Trumpeter Swan

A Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator) is the largest waterfowl species native to North America. It is a graceful and majestic bird known for its all-white plumage, impressive size, and a distinct, bugle-like call that gives it its name.

The Trumpeter Swan is an entirely white bird with a long neck and a large, black bill. They can reach a length of over 6 feet and have a wingspan of up to 8 feet, making them one of the heaviest flying birds in the world. Their black bill is a key feature that distinguishes them from other swan species. Young swans, called cygnets, are a grayish color and gradually turn white over their first year.

These swans are found in large, shallow wetlands, marshes, rivers, and lakes in western and central North America. They are migratory birds, breeding in Alaska and Canada and then flying south to winter in the western and central U.S. and coastal regions. Their diet consists primarily of aquatic plants, which they find by dabbling their long necks in the water. They also eat grasses and grains from fields.

Once hunted almost to extinction for their feathers and meat in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the Trumpeter Swan's population has made a remarkable comeback thanks to intensive conservation efforts. They are a protected species, and their recovery is considered a major success story in North American wildlife conservation.