Fauna Series No. 3

Fauna of the National Parks — No. 3 Birds and Mammals of Mount McKinley National Park

Birds

DESCRIPTIONS OF BIRD SPECIES

WHISTLING SWAN
Cygnus columbianus [ORD]

GENERAL APPEARANCE.—A very large, all-white waterfowl with a long neck and an unfeathered tract between the eye and base of the bill. Length, 55 inches, or less.

IDENTIFICATION.—The all-white plumage and large size will serve to distinguish this swan from the snow geese and white pelicans. The only species that the whistling swan is likely to be confused with is the trumpeter swan, a much larger bird with a deeper, more sonorous call than the whistler. A yellow spot in front of the eye is characteristic of the whistling swan but is not invariably present.

DISTRIBUTION.—The whistling swan nests only in the far north, while the trumpeter breeds in southwestern Canada and the Yellowstone National Park region in the United States. The whistling swan passes through Mount McKinley Park on its annual migration to and from its nesting grounds in the Arctic regions of North America.

HABITS.—Since whistling swans stop over at Wonder Lake each spring and fall and are seen on other nearby lakes, it has been believed by some that these swans might nest in the McKinley region. However, they are present only during the spring and fall migrations and there are no summer or breeding records for the McKinley region, although seemingly suitable nesting ponds and conditions exist there. Mr. and Mrs. John E. Anderson reported that in the fall of 1928, the first swans, consisting of two adults and two young, arrived at Wonder Lake from the north on October 4. On October 5 there were 3 families—6 adults and 7 young—while on October 7, approximately 350 swans including some 200 young were counted. On October 8, only 50 adults and 20 young remained.

In the spring of 1929, the first swans (20) arrived at Wonder Lake at 2 p. m. on May 4.

This swan is a regular migrant through Mount McKinley National Park, but probably does not remain to breed.

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Last Modified: Thurs, Oct 4 2001 10:00:00 pm PDT
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