Trumpeter Swan Identification

The Four Keys to ID

• Size & Shape

  Trumpeter Swans are immense waterfowl with heavy bodies and long necks typically held straight both on the water and in flight. The large bill slopes gradually down from the forehead.

  Relative Size

  The largest waterfowl species in North America; slightly larger than a Mute Swan and considerably larger than a Tundra Swan.

  goose-sized or larger

  Measurements

  • Both Sexes
  • • Length: 54.3-62.2 in (138-158 cm)
    • Weight: 271.6-448.0 oz (7700-12700 g)
    • Wingspan: 79.9 in (203 cm)

  © Willie McHale / Macaulay Library

• Color Pattern

  Adult Trumpeter Swans are entirely white with a black bill and black legs. Immatures are gray-brown.

• Behavior

  Trumpeter Swans forage in fairly shallow water, reaching under the surface to eat aquatic vegetation and at times tipping up in the manner of a dabbling duck. They also visit agricultural fields to eat spilled or leftover grains and crops.
• Habitat

  Trumpeter Swans breed in open habitats near shallow water bodies. They winter on estuaries, large lakes, and rivers that remain at least partially ice-free year-round. They sometimes forage in fields.