Trumpeter Swans

I love these beautiful birds.

You can see them at the Wye Marsh near Midland Ontario. They have a reintroduction program that tracks the swans and protects them to ensure their numbers continue to grow.

"The Wye Marsh is well known for the Trumpeter Swan reintroduction program that the wildlife centre has been operating since the 1980s. Currently, there are 55 to 60 adult Trumpeter Swan that nest within the marsh. Trumpeter Swans are restricted to North America, where they occur in three relatively distinct populations: Pacific Coast (over 16,000 birds), Rocky Mountain (2,500 birds), and Interior (over 900 birds). The Wye Marsh population of Trumpeter Swans is the largest concentration in Ontario, and comprises a significant percentage of the interior population. Historical nesting of Trumpeter Swans in the Wye Valley has been documented through archaeological evidence.

In addition to Trumpeter Swans, a relatively large colony of Black Terns also nests at Wye Marsh, with as many as 61 pairs being present. Although a national population estimate is not available for this species, a regional study (Priority Migratory Bird Habitats of Canadas Prairie Provinces 1990) used a threshold of 50 for identifying sites of national significance. The nationally vulnerable Least Bittern nests in significant numbers, with 11 pairs (approximately 1% of the Canadian population) surveyed in 2000. Other marsh nesting species include American Bittern, Virginia Rail, Sora, and Marsh Wren, among others. A total of 222 species of birds have been recorded at this site, of which 64 have been confirmed as nesters."



Wye Marsh Trumpeter Swans and National Wildlife Areas in Ontario