From the Archives - Feathered Friday: Trumpeter Swans

by Rachel Ames

If you’ve been to Lake Estes lately, you might have seen 3 large, white Trumpeter Swans mixing and mingling with the Canada Geese. The beautiful birds get their name from their “French horn-like” call and are considered “accidental” visitors in Colorado. There are populations that breed and winter in western Wyoming, southern Idaho and northern Utah, so they aren’t that far from their range. Most Trumpeter swans breed in inland Alaska and Canada with some populations in the Great Lakes region and scattered populations throughout the U.S. Trumpeter Swans eat mostly aquatic vegetation but can eat all types of invertebrates, fish, tubers, and even grains. They are the largest native waterfowl of North America. While their wing spans are similar to that of Bald Eagles, they can be double the weight (with male Trumpeter Swans averaging 26lbs). That helps explain why they prefer to get a long running start when they take off. If we’re lucky, they will stay awhile and everyone will get to see these rare Estes Valley visitors.