Trumpeter Swan

The Trumpeter Swan is one of North America's largest birds at 60-72 inches in height. The colour of the adult is white with black a bill; younger birds are a dusky grey-brown the bill being pink with a black base and tip. The voice of the Trumpeter Swan is a bugling, lower pitch. Throughout British Columbia the Trumpeter Swan breeds in the north and winters in the west. Their preferred habitat is near marshes, lakes and rivers with dense vegetation. The Trumpeter Swan feeds on water, rooting in the shallow, mucky waters for roots and grasses; they also graze on land. The nest is built on a bulrush covered island or beaver dam and contains 4-6 whitish eggs. In the early part of this century Trumpeter Swans became almost extinct due to the draining of marshes, hunting and other disturbances along with a low rate of reproduction. It’s populations are currently on the rise.

General issues across the Sub Region will be addressed below, followed by management plans specific to individual populations.

Issues:

• Carpenter Lake reservoir, when flooded, covers prime feeding areas for Swans
• Lack of data on population dynamics in Sub Region
• There may be herbicide spraying in regions in the Sub Region that may be affecting birds that eat or depend on the sprayed plants

Goals:

• Implement a study to determine the effects of water management on swans
• Implement a study to determine population dynamics
• Determine where and when herbicide spraying occurs, and what plant species are being treated
• Determine if the herbicide spraying is affecting trumpeter swan populations