Trumpeter Swan

Thanks to eBird and the Washington birders’ listserv, Erika and I were aware that Trumpeter Swans had been seen on Olympia’s Capitol lake since the first of the year. We found two swans at the south end of the late on 5 January 2020. Trumpeter Swans were nearly extinct in early 20th century, but populations have rebounded thanks to strict hunting prohibitions, reintroductions, and habitat preservation.

Trumpeter and Tundra swans are similar (eBird). Trumpeter Swans never show yellow on their bill. Their facial skin is relatively broad where it meets the eye, so the eye does not stand out. The border between the bill and the white face is straight, not curved. Another field mark is that, in the front of the swan, where the forehead meets the bill, the white forehead is pointed. Tundra Swans usually have curved forehead points. Closeup, Trumpeter Swans have a reddish line between their mandibles.