Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator), Buckeye, Maricopa County

This Trumpeter Swan was found by Kara Cordoza and Jim Ripley and photographed by Jim on 07 January 2017

Though possibly increasing, Trumpeter Swan remains very rare in Arizona, with six accepted records and six pending review, including one from earlier this winter.

Swan identification can be extremely difficult, but adults are generally straightforward, as is the case with this bird. Identification relies mainly on details of the bill. Most adult Tundra Swans have a yellow loral spot, but 1-2% lack such a spot. This bird lacks the loral spot, typical of Trumpeter Swan. 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. This bird has a salmon-colored grin streak which is always present in Trumpeter Swan, less often in Tundra. 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, including this one, have wider facial skin that makes the eye seem visually part of the bill. Finally, the neck of Trumpeter Swan is relatively longer, often held in a strong S-curve.

07 January 2017, photo by Jim Ripley

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