Bob Suchanek
Water and Wetlands Steward
Photo Credit: Bob Suchanek
The Biggest Swan
This month continues to amaze! No snow, a tornado in Wisconsin, and swans in Roseville’s Central Park. On February 10th my wife and I spotted a pair of trumpeter swans enjoying a swim in cool but liquid Bennett Lake.
Trumpeter swans (Cygnus buccinator) are the largest existing species of waterfowl in North America and one of the largest swans in the world. An adult male may weigh up to 26 pounds and can spread his wings to an impressive 10 feet from tip to tip. According to Cornell University’s website this jumbo sized flyer requires a 100 yard long runway to get airborne.
The Biggest Dabbler
I do wonder why these two big birds have chosen to visit Roseville this early in the year. Normally trumpeters overwinter south of here and don’t head north until late March and April. They appeared to be “dabbling” for food (finding food at or near the lake surface) so maybe they’ll hang out for a bit. The only dabbling competition for edible vegetation is a dozen or so mallards that didn’t fly south.
Some Sources
Tornado:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBgebqqHtoc
Cornell University Trumpeter Information:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Trumpeter_Swan/overview