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The Trumpeter Swan Society

The Trumpeter Swan Society works across North America on Trumpeter Swan conservation. We work across 4 Flyways and are your voice on the Flyway Swan Committeess

What we do

Photograph by Jim Goodland

DID YOU KNOW?

Trumpeter Swans are native only to North America. They are the largest waterfowl in the world. Although most populations are increasing, they are one of our least abundant native birds with about 63,000 Trumpeters on the entire continent.

Thirty-eight percent (24,240) of North America's Trumpeters summer in Alaska and Yukon and winter in the Pacific Northwest (Pacific Coast Population), with a few moving as far south as California.

Nineteen percent (11,721) of North America's Trumpeter Swans are in the Rocky Mountain Population which includes United States and Canadian flocks. The Greater Yellowstone region of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming was the only place in the lower 48 states where Trumpeters escaped extinction. Today the United States Rocky Mountain Population, which also includes Oregon and eastern Washington, has less than 800 adult and subadult swans and remains one of the most vulnerable swan populations.

Forty-three percent (27,055) of Trumpeter Swans are reported in the Midwest, Central Plains, and Ontario (Interior Population). They are present due to restoration efforts. Nesting Trumpeter Swans there now regularly occur in 8 states and 3 provinces.

Photograph by Margaret Smith

What we do

Trumpeter Swan sunset takeoff

Photograph by Margaret Smith

Your Society at Work

The Trumpeter Swan Society (TTSS) has been North America's leader of Trumpeter Swan conservation since 1968. Thanks to our donors, for over 50 years TTSS has played a pivotal role by providing expert science based technical support in the major restoration programs. Our vibrant "swan network" of researchers, swan managers, and biologists have gathered and shared the best science based information and research to help return Trumpeter Swans to areas where they have not been seen in more than a century.

Trumpeter Swans once flourished across much of North America. Tragically, by 1900 they were nearly extinct due to commercial and subsistence hunting. In recent decades, Trumpeters began a remarkable recovery thanks to the partnerships and passion of many people, organizations and agencies, with the expert technical support of TTSS.

As Trumpeters return, they face major problems including threats to nesting and wintering habitat, mortality threats from lead poisoning and powerline collisions, isolation and lack of flock connectivity in certain areas, and the need for new migration patterns.

With your help they will continue their remarkable return to North America.

Each Population of Trumpeter Swans has its own history, challenges and opportunities.

Our five general program areas address issues that may be in one or more Populations.

You can help. Learn more about the issues swans face, and join our efforts to assure the vitality and welfare of wild Trumpeter Swans.

Trumpeter Swan Populations

OUR PROGRAMS FOCUS IN FIVE MAJOR AREAS

  • We coordinate efforts to restore Trumpeter Swans and to establish secure migration routes and wintering areas. We work with many partners on Trumpeter Swan related restoration and management issues including National Wildlife Refuges, national parks, state and federal agencies, nonprofits including land trusts, community groups, zoos, universities, and individuals.

  • We educate the public about unnatural threats to swans such as mortalities from transmission lines, lead poisoning and illegal shootings. We work with partners and the general public in different regions on projects to identify and reduce swan deaths and swan health issues.

  • We engage the general public in reporting sightings of Trumpeter Swans, reporting new swan sightings to the appropriate state agencies and flyways.

  • We work with agencies, other non-profits and the public to help educate people towards a goal of maintaining healthy populations of Trumpeter Swans and their important breeding and wintering habitats. We provide expertise on Trumpeter Swan biology, habitats, and any issues that may have impacts on Trumpeter Swans and associated habitats in North America. Our Swan Conferences promote the scientific study of swans and their habitats and strengthens and expands our "swan network." We financially support scientific swan research through our North American Swan Fund. We answer swan-related questions from schools, individuals, agencies, and the general public.

  • We have wide ranging outreach and advocacy. Each year our advocacy efforts address issues, threats, and concerns about swans, their habitat, health and security. Our board of directors reviews issues brought to our attention. Many issues are of public interest for our members. We invite our members and subscribers to advocate on various issues through the year.

  • Read more...

    Historic Breeding Map of Trumpeter Swans (Banko)
    Historic Breeding Map of Trumpeter Swans (Banko)

    Banko (1960) presents some compelling evidence that this species was once abundant and widespread on the North American Continent; from the Atlantic to the Pacific and the Arctic to the Gulf coast.

    The population was severely depleted by subsistence hunting and over 125 years of commercial swan skin harvest by hunters and trappers for the Hudson Bay Company. Many thousands of skins were shipped to Europe between 1772 and the late 1800s (Banko 1960). By 1933 there were thought to be only 69 Trumpeters alive in North America and thus nearly extinct (Banko 1960). Unknown and unrecorded remnant populations existed in Canada and Alaska (Mitchell 1994).

  • Trumpeter Swans are managed and restored by Flyways. There are 4 North American Flyways: Pacific, Central, Mississippi and Atlantic. We are your voice on the Swan Committees of each Flyway to assure the vitality and welfare of wild Trumpeter Swans.

    North American Flyways
    North American Flyways

    Trumpeter Swans are managed and restored by Flyways. There are 4 North American Flyways: Pacific, Central, Mississippi and Atlantic.
    The Pacific Flyway manages the Pacific Coast Population and Rocky Mountain Population.
    The Central, Mississippi and Atlantic Flyways manage the Interior Population of Trumpeter Swans.

  • Trumpeter Swan Populations include the Pacific Coast Population, Rocky Mountain Population, and Interior Population

    Current Swan Populations of the Flyways
    Current Swan Populations of the Flyways

    This map from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service shows the 3 major Trumpeter Swan Populations (Pacific Coast Population, Rocky Mountain Population, Interior Population).

    Trumpeter Swans are managed by Flyways. The Pacific Coast Population and the Rocky Mountain Population are managed through the Pacific Flyway.

    The Interior Trumpeter Swan Population is managed through three Flyways: Central Flyway (High Plains Flock), Mississippi Flyway (Minnesota,Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio, Arkansas, Missouri), and the Atlantic Flyway (Ontario's restored Trumpeter Swans are pioneering into the United States's eastern states).

    The Trumpeter Swan Society works across the Flyways for all Populations and Flocks.

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