The Return (of the Trumpeter Swan)

Amy E Kulesza

Guest Blogger

I first started thinking about swans after a visit to Quarry Trails Metro Park. I love hiking with my dog Sydney there, and we were curious to see two swans who seemed unbothered by our presence on the floating walkway. Once back at home and able to look them up, I discovered that they were mute swans, which are non-native to North America and notable by their bright orange bills. To my surprise, there are three species of swans that we can see in Ohio: mute swans, tundra swans, and trumpeter swans. Trumpeter swans are Ohio’s only native breeding swans. Their bills are black, with just a thin line of orange where the lower bill meets the upper bill, which is described by some people as their “lipstick.”

Trumpeter swans (Cygnus buccinator) were extirpated from Ohio by the early 1800s, and by 1930 there were fewer than 100 trumpeter swans in the entire US. Hunting, habitat loss, and poor water quality were the main drivers of the loss of swans, which is similar to what we learned last month about otters. Additionally, lead poisoning and power lines can contribute to the death of swans, but in fewer numbers.

The largest of the North American waterfowl, trumpeter swans are also slow breeding animals, which limits how quickly their population can grow. They typically only have one brood each year, with about five eggs on average, and baby trumpeters (cygnets) can be lost to predators. With the help of a reintroduction program, trumpeter swans are another species making a comeback in Ohio.

Once again, I spoke with Lindsey Krusling, a wildlife communications specialist with the Ohio Division of Wildlife, to better understand the reasons behind the loss of trumpeter swans, and their return. In early settlement times, Ohio had many more wetlands than we currently have, with the Great Black Swamp a huge component of that wetland habitat. We also had many more natural prairies at that time then we currently have in Ohio. So when it came time to consider trumpeter swans for reintroduction to Ohio, there were several factors wildlife agencies needed to think about.

Birds are an interesting animal to consider when it comes to wildlife management, because many bird species migrate back and forth to breeding grounds each year. Ohio is a well known stop over for many migratory bird species. Thousands of people come to the Lake Erie shores and visit our state parks and natural areas to witness the great spring migration of birds north to breeding grounds.

Tundra swans use Ohio waterways as stop over points during their migration route, but do not breed in Ohio. On their way to nest in the Arctic area, they migrate through Ohio, and again while going back down to the Atlantic coast to spend the winter. Because they are temporary visitors, tundra swans are not considered competitors of trumpeter swans for breeding space.

Mute swans, on the other hand, compete with trumpeter swans for breeding habitat, and the two species have similar breeding needs. Mute swans were introduced to North American in the mid-1800s, and to Ohio in 1911. Intended to be captively bred, some mute swans escaped into the wild and their numbers grew. Often aggressive towards both trumpeter swans and humans, mute swans can cause issues for reintroduction of trumpeter swans.

In Ohio, trumpeter swans were reintroduced between 1996 and 2003. An interesting challenge that ODNR officials faced was first confirming that trumpeter swans had once bred in Ohio, which was established through historical records. Officials needed to prove that trumpeter swans have bred in Ohio in the past, and not just pass through like some of our other bird species. And because trumpeter swans are migratory birds, there was also the challenge of working with various federal and other state agencies, as well as partners like zoos, to effectively reintroduce trumpeters to Ohio.

In a two-phase process, 50 trumpeter eggs were obtained from Alaska, and reared by agency partners such as the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and the Wilds here near Columbus. They incubated the eggs, and then released the young into specific marshes. These birds then learned that that was their home territory. Some adult birds raised in captivity were also reintroduced to Ohio. There were 11 total reintroduction sites, mostly in state wildlife areas. Ohio officials set a goal of having at least 15 breeding pairs before stopping new releases of birds or eggs. It took seven years to meet this goal, and the population is now doing well with close to 900 individuals in 2023 in the state. Monitoring of trumpeter swans typically takes place by helicopter, a deviation from the trail camera monitoring we’ve explored with the last two animals in this series.

Several factors aided in the successful return of trumpeter swans to the state. Although Ohio lost 90% of its wetlands between 1780 and the 1990s, the state has made tremendous strides in restoration and rehabilitation of wetland areas. Moreover, trumpeter swans have been adaptable to the habitat that is available and have been using farm fields which get wet during certain parts of the season or in the winter, and take advantage of seeds and grain after harvests. Ohio has also made progress in controlling invasive plant species which can limit food resources for swans. And, in 2013, federal and state laws changed to allow for effective control of the mute swan. Specifically, mute swans were reduced in population on public lands such as state and national wildlife areas. This often occurs by shaking the eggs, called egg addling, which stops embryo development.

Like otters, swans are indicator species of healthy water environments. The restoration of our waterways have given trumpeter swans the space and habitat they need to be successful. In 2024, trumpeters were removed from the state endangered species list, indicating a stable population of trumpeter swans. Now, researchers are beginning to explore questions about Ohio trumpeter swan movement and migration patterns.

What I find fascinating is that some, but not all, Ohio trumpeter swans migrate. For those that migrate, they learn the behavior of migration between their nesting and wintering grounds from other swans. After wintering a little further south, they return to reproduce in Ohio, often returning to the same area or nearby areas. Birds that were born and raised in a certain wetland might return to the wetland or nearby areas. And the adults will use the same nesting area year after year after year.

Most of our trumpeter swans can be found further north, closer to Lake Erie, and in areas of high wetland restoration. Metro Parks has restored thousands of acres of wetlands at the parks. Trumpeter swans are seen frequently at these wetlands, especially at Battelle Darby Creek, Highbanks, Pickerington Ponds, Prairie Oaks and Quarry Trails. And although they’re doing much better in Ohio, trumpeter swans still face ongoing threats such as lack of habitat, competition from the mute swans, and diseases such as avian flu. But ODNR continues to create partnerships between other agencies, groups and organizations, as well as landowners, to figure out what is best for the species.

I just recently saw a single mute swan gliding along at Three Creeks Metro Park. It reminded me of the challenges of wildlife management and the partnerships it takes to support our native Ohio species. Keep an eye out for all three species of swans on your next visit to one of our Metro Parks or other Ohio natural areas.