Trumpeter swan

Trumpeter swan photographed in Manitoba

The trumpeter swan is the largest native waterfowl in North America, a bird that seems to fill a whole pond. A fully grown swan can have a wingspan of more than two metres, with pure white feathers, a long neck, and a black bill. Its deep, horn-like call gives the swan its name.

The species was nearly lost in the early twentieth century, when hunting and habitat loss left only a small number of birds. Careful conservation and reintroduction programs have brought it back, including in Manitoba. Trumpeters pair for life, nest on large mounds of vegetation in shallow water, and raise grey cygnets that turn white over their first year or two.

To find out more about the trumpeter swan and the places it lives, visit All About Birds.

Here are some of my favourite frames of this bird.

Field notes in photographs

  • Trumpeter swans standing on a nest mound in a marsh with golden reeds
  • Pair of trumpeter swans swimming together on calm water
  • Trumpeter swans swimming and splashing in a marsh
  • Two trumpeter swans with their reflections in still water
  • Two trumpeter swans swimming side by side among green reeds
  • Two trumpeter swans swimming side by side on a calm pond at sunrise, Manitoba
  • Trumpeter swans flying against a blue sky

Trumpeter swan Manitoba sightings

Where and when you can find the trumpeter swan in Manitoba depends on the season and the habitat. You can see more species in the Manitoba birds section.

Map of Manitoba showing where the trumpeter swan nests, with major cities and lakes
Where to look for the trumpeter swan in Manitoba through the seasons: nesting in the Boreal Plains and the Prairies (gold). Habitat regions: National Ecological Framework for Canada. Boundaries: Statistics Canada. Lakes: Natural Earth.

Back to Manitoba bird photography, or see the portfolio.

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