Formerly known as whistling swans, tundra swans are
regular migrants through the Alma area. In the spring they arrive unpredictably
in small flocks (early March through late May) but remain for only a brief
rest. Large concentrations arrive in the fall starting in mid-October and
linger in Rieck's Lake until November or freeze-up. They reach a peak
population of 2,000 - 6,000 from mid to late November.
Appearance and Markings
In the all-white adult, black facial skin tapers to a point in front of
the eye and cuts straight across the forehead; many adult swans have a yellow
spot in front of the eye. The head is rounded with a slightly concave bill.
Immature swans are grayish sometimes brownish white with darker heads. Tundra
swans carry their necks erect when on the water.
Characteristics
Tundras vary in size from 4 to 4 1/2 ft. long, including a 4 inch bill and
8 1/2 inch tail. With a wingspread to about 7 feet males weigh around 20 lbs.
Females are slightly smaller than males. Sometimes tundras are mistaken for
snow geese which are much smaller birds with black wing tips and for pelicans,
or egrets.
Where Found
Tundra swans nest in the tundra or sheltered marshes on the Alaskan and
Canadian coast near the Arctic Circle. The swans which migrate through here
winter in flocks on shallow ponds, lakes and estuaries along the east coast
near the Chesapeake Bay and in the marshes of Virginia and North Carolina.
Another population of swans uses the western flyway from the Arctic to
California's San Joaquin and Sacramento Valleys.
Life Cycle
Males are called cobs; females, pens; young, cygnets. The clutch varies
from 2-8 rough shelled, pale yellow or creamy- white eggs which hatch in late
June. Swans stay in families for about one year. They get adult plumage at
about 15 months.
Nest
At their nesting grounds on the Arctic coastline, swans gather and pile up
grass, sedges, and mosses within 100 yards of water. The resulting nests
measure about 6 feet across and 12-18 inches high. This will support the eggs
above water level and provide a lookout station from which the swans can guard
against predators. During incubation, females alone care for the eggs while
their mates stand guard nearby.
Food
Food for the tundra swans is largely vegetative - in this area wild celery
and arrowhead tubers. Their long necks equip them to reach bulbous roots which
they dislodge with their feet from the bottom of the shallow ponds.
Occasionally they will feed on farm crops. While wintering on the east coast,
they also feed on mollusks and crustaceans. While the flock is feeding one swan
stands guard to warn of any approaching danger.
Behavior
To achieve flight, swans face the wind, run along the surface of the water for
15 to 20 feet, flap their wings, and beat the water with their feet alternately
until they have gained sufficient headway to launch into the air. During flight
in v-shaped formations, swans achieve speeds up to 100 miles an hour with a
tail wind. They have been sighted at elevations of 6,000 to 8,000 feet where
flocks have been struck by aircraft resulting in at least two fatal air
crashes.
Family Behavior
Like some others in the geese (Anatidae) family, swans mate for life
although if one of a pair dies the other will find a new mate. The young are
precocious in that they enter the water soon after hatching.
Research Information
Check out this site: www.bsc-eoc.org/swans/swans.html
