Trumpeter swan

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.

Here are some of my favourite frames of this bird.

Photos

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