Trumpeter Swans
Trumpeter
Swans are the biggest type of swan.
Their beaks and feet are just black.
Adults can be up to 54-65 inches long.
Large males can be up to 71 inches long or even more. Male Trumpeter Swans can weigh up to 26 pounds,
and female trumpeter swans can be up to 21 pounds. The Trumpeter Swans wing span can be up to 72
inches long (6 feet). A male swan is
called a cob. A female swan is called a
pen, and a baby swan is called a cygnet.
Trumpeter
Swans get their name from the sound that they make. Trumpeter Swans make a sound like a
trumpet. They usually trumpet when
trying to attract a mate.
Females
usually lay their eggs in late April.
She could lay 3-12 eggs. The eggs
are usually 3 inches wide, and 5 inches long.
The eggs weigh about 11 oz. It
takes 32-37 days for the eggs to hatch.
The cygnets can swim two days after they hatch.
Trumpeter
swans usually live by water. Their
breeding habitats are large shallow ponds, undisturbed lakes, wetlands, and
wide slow rivers. Trumpeter Swans are
mostly found in central North America.
In the winter they migrate to Southern Canada, The Red Rock Lakes area
in Montana, northwest Washington, and sometimes as far as Texas, and southern
California.
Trumpeter
Swans eat things that are found near water.
Cygnets eat small fish, insects, fish eggs, small crustaceans, and
plants. Adults eat foliage, seeds,
tubers, water lilies, and insects.
The
Trumpeter Swan is a state endangered species, but it is not listed as
endangered or threatened. It is
protected from hunting though. Trumpeter
Swans have many predators. The predators
for Trumpeter Swans eggs are Ravens, Raccoons, Wolverines, American Black
Bears, Coyotes, Gray Wolves, and the River Otter. The predators for young cygnets are the
Snapping Turtle, California Gulls, the Great Horned Owl, and the American
Mink. Larger cygnets and adults are
threatened by the Golden Eagle, Bobcats, Red Foxes, and Coyotes.
Trumpeter
Swans are very beautiful birds. They are
interesting, and fun to learn about!
Sources Cited
Hoff, Mary. The Wild
World of Animals-Swans. Creative
Education. Minnesota. 2006.
Trumpeter Swans. Wikipedia. Web.
April 9, 2013.
Done By Ella