Tundra Swan
Cygnus columbianus
Tundra swans forage at Crow's Nest Natural Area Preserve in Stafford County, Va., on Nov. 18, 2014. The tundra swan is a large, white bird with a black bill. (Photo by Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program)
A large flock of tundra swans flocks at Rose Haven, Md., on March 5, 2016. After wintering on the Chesapeake Bay, the species will migrate to the Arctic to breed in the summer. (Photo by Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program)
Tundra swans migrate in large V-shaped or ribbon-like flocks. (Photo by Steve Droter/Chesapeake Bay Program)
Tundra swans forage in a farm field on Maryland's Eastern Shore on Feb. 7, 2014. (Photo by Steve Droter/Chesapeake Bay Program)
A tundra swan visits Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Dorchester County, Md. Tundra swans are found in winter on shallow fresh and brackish waters in the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal rivers, wetlands and marshes.
The tundra swan is a large, white bird that visits the shallow waters of the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal rivers and wetlands from autumn through spring.
Appearance
The tundra swan has a white body and long, slender neck held straight in the air. It has a black bill, often with a yellow spot at the base in front of the eye. It grows to about 4.5 feet with a wingspan of more than 5 feet; males tend to be slightly larger than females.
Feeding
This bird eats seeds and bay grasses such as redhead grass, widgeon grass and sago pondweed. It feeds by submerging its head and neck underwater to reach its food, sometimes “tipping up” its tail in the process. It will also eat winter wheat and other grains in farm fields.
Predators
Foxes, gulls and weasels prey on swan eggs and young.
Flight
Tundra swans migrate in large V-shaped or ribbon-like flocks. Flocks are often heard before they can be seen. They are strong flyers and take flight by running across the water and slapping their wings on the surface.
Voice
The tundra swan makes a high, whooping woo-hoo, woo-hoo, woo-hoo.
National Audubon Society – Bird Song Collection
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Breeding occurs during the summer in the Arctic tundra of Canada and Alaska. In autumn, adults and their young, called cygnets, fly south to the Bay region. Cygnets are as large as adults but are brownish-gray. They molt to white by late winter or early spring, when the swans return to the tundra to breed.
Did You Know?
- Tundra swans are also known as the whistling swan. They are the most widespread swan in North America.
- The tundra swan is one of only two native swan species in North America. The other native swan, the trumpeter swan, is a rare visitor to the Bay region.
- They can be confused with the invasive mute swan. You can distinguish a tundra swan by its black bill and straight neck. Also, tundra swans are only found in the Bay region from late autumn through early spring, while mute swans live here year-round.
- During winter, tundra swans sleep mostly on the water.
Sources and Additional Information
- Life in the Chesapeake Bay by Alice Jane Lippson and Robert L. Lippson
- Chesapeake Bay: Nature of the Estuary, A Field Guide by Christopher P. White
- Waterfowl ID: Tundra Swan – Ducks Unlimited
- All About Birds: Tundra Swan – The Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Cygnus columbianus – U.S. Forest Service
Quick Facts
Species
Native
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Habitat
Found on shallow fresh and brackish waters in the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal rivers, wetlands and marshes. Usually lives and travels in flocks; some wintering flocks can be quite large.
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Range
Migrates to the Bay region in late October and early November. Migrates back to the Arctic tundra in early spring to breed; may be observed during migration in central Pennsylvania and other parts of the Bay watershed.
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Diet
Feeds on seeds and bay grasses such as redhead grass, widgeon grass and sago pondweed
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Lifespan
Up to 20 years
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Status
Stable
