Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator), Sweetwater Wetlands, Pima County

This Trumpeter Swan was found by Bryon Lichtenhan and photographed by Andrew Core, Bill Higgins, and Scott Olmstead on 28 January 2015

There are five accepted records for Arizona, three of which are from southeastern Arizona: singles in Portal (1994) and Gleeson (1998), and the family group of six at Kino Springs and the Corona de Tucson WTP (2006).

Tundra and Trumpeter Swans are surprisingly difficult to identify. However, these birds show several characters supporting the Trumpeter Swan identification. Perhaps the best way to distinguish adult swans (other than voice) is the shape of the feathering on the forehead. These birds show V-shaped feathering typical of adult Trumpeter Swan, rather than the U-shaped feathering typical of adult Tundra Swan and immatures of both species. Most adult Tundra Swans have a yellow loral spot, but 1-2% lack such a spot. These birds lack this spot, although one does show a gray patch on the upper bill, possibly indicative of a younger age. Typical Trumpeter Swans have a straight edge down from the eye between the facial skin/ramphothecum and the feathers, whereas in Tundra this is more curved or kinked, but there is variation in this trait. These birds have a salmon-colored grin streak which is always present in Trumpeter Swan, less often in Tundra. Finally, Tundra Swan usually, but not always, has a narrow strip of black loral facial skin that makes the eye seem separate from the black bill. Most Trumpeters have wider facial skin that makes the eye seem visually part of the bill. These two birds show the variation in this trait, and other nuances of bill shape, that can be shown by Trumpeter Swans.

28 January 2015, photo by Andrew Core

28 January 2015, photo by Bill Higgins

28 January 2015, photo by Scott Olmstead

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