Recently I visited the marina at LaSalle Park in Burlington Ontario. As I walked down the hill from the look off I could hear something that sounded like a Grade 8 band brass section warming up: pleasant notes but wavering a little bit off key. Then I saw the flock of over 50 Trumpeter Swans gathered around the main wharf. And almost all of them had two large yellow plastic-looking numbered tags sticking up from their wings. Was I just in time to witness some strange form of swan triathlon? Or why were the birds numbered?
A closer look at the swans showed that the group was a mixture of adult and juvenile birds. The younger birds still had the darker grey heads, necks and backs. The adults have white heads though they often are stained with rust from feeding underwater. Old or young, though, the yellow tags were everywhere.
Why are the Trumpeter Swans at LaSalle Park on Lake Ontario and for How Long?
The Trumpeters are spending the winter at this spot. They like the open sheltered shallow water with lake vegetation to eat. They are also supported by daily grain (corn) deliveries. Because of their size, the swans need a long stretch of open water to take off and land. They also are territorial (more on this in another article!) and even while roosting for the winter need room to spread out from their fellow swans.
According to the Burlington Green website about 200 Trumpeters winter near the LaSalle Marina in Burlington each year.
The Trumpeters usually live at LaSalle from November until late March. They nest further north in Ontario. According to an article in the Toronto Star their nesting grounds include the Wye Marsh, Kirkland Lake and North Bay. [http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/2009/03/29/trumpeter_swans_making_a_comeback_in_ontario.html]
Why Are Trumpeter Swans so Uncommon Elsewhere in Ontario?
Trumpeter swans were extirpated (locally extinct) due to over-hunting. They have been gradually re-introduced to Ontario over the last 30 years from eggs taken from flocks in western Canada and Alaska.
The newly introduced birds do not properly migrate. According to various sources, Trumpeter swans learn migration routes from their parents. Right now most Ontario Trumpeters stay in Ontario for the winter. Many of the ones that travel further south into the USA do not live to return.
Other places along Lake Ontario to see Trumpeter Swans in winter include Bluffer’s Park, Frenchman’s Bay, and Whitby Harbour, according to an article on the Trumpeter Swan Society site. [http://trumpeterswansociety.wordpress.com/tag/wing-tags/]
Why do the Trumpeter Swans Have Bright Yellow Wing Tags?
The bright yellow numbered wing tags mean the Trumpeters are from Ontario. They are tagged by volunteers, often when on their winter feeding grounds. For example, many are tagged right at LaSalle Park in Burlington.
The tags don’t seem to bother the birds at all. You can see in this photo of a landing swan how the tags are loosely attached near the top of the wings.
The tags allow scientists to monitor the birds. Records of kept of where the birds are seen, when, and their condition. Nesting success and the number of cygnets is also reported. Some birds have been tracked for more than 5 years returning to the same wintering sites.
By comparing the ratio of tagged birds to untagged birds, it’s also possible for scientists to estimate how successfully the birds are reproducing in the wild. The number of tagged birds has been steadily dropping from which it has been inferred that the total number of birds is climbing. (http://trumpeterswansociety.wordpress.com/tag/wing-tags/)
Reporting Tagged Swans
You can help by reporting tagged swans, especially those in less studied spots (e.g. not in LaSalle Park) to various places. Information on the number of swans, time and date, and location (preferably with GPS coordinates) is always helpful. Photos can help too.
You can report them to the Wye Marsh at
https://www.wyemarsh.com/swan-sightings
According to a June 2019 article in the Credit Valley Conservation website, you can report sightings at
https://www.trumpeterswansociety.org/what-we-do/trumpeter-watch/report-a-swan.html
You can send an email to Ontario Trumpeter Swan Restoration at: trumpeterswanREMOVE @REMOVE liveREMOVE.com
if you delete the three removes and the two empty spaces.
Their Facebook is called: Ontario Trumpeter Swans
There are also instructions at
http://trumpeterswansociety.wordpress.com/2010/01/26/reporting-marked-or-banded-trumpeter-swans/
for reporting them at
http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/BBL/bblretrv/
note there is a continue button on the left side that you click to get to the page/s where you report the sighting.
Related Reading
- What is This Crazy Black Duck with the White Beak Doing in LaSalle Park, Burlington, Ontario?
- The Trumpeter Swan Society
- Reporting Tagged, Collared and Marked Trumpeter Swans
Join In
Have you seen Trumpeter Swans or only their more common Mute Swan cousins? Were the swans you saw tagged? Please share your experiences with a comment.
Saw a lone adult Trumpeter Swan with yellow wing tags J76 at Lake Aquitaine in the Meadowvale area of Mississauga yesterday and today. Have pictures. Would like to know how to report the siting. Also have pictures.
You can report them to the Wye Marsh at
http://www.wyemarsh.com/conservation/swansightings.php
There are also instructions at
http://trumpeterswansociety.wordpress.com/2010/01/26/reporting-marked-or-banded-trumpeter-swans/
for reporting them at
http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/BBL/bblretrv/
note there is a continue button on the left side that you click to get to the page/s where you report the sighting.
Glad to hear the Trumpeter’s are starting to move again. This flock isn’t really migratory from what I’ve read, but it may be some day!
Spotted p42 in dubois penna
They sure move around! Thanks for sharing!
Just spotted single V60 in Palermo, Oakville
Thanks for sharing!
My husband and I saw three of these tagged swans on Borden Lake just outside of Chapleau, ON. Their numbers were 160, 165 and 155. We haven’t seen them since. The date was May 17, 2013 around 5 pm.
Thanks for sharing your sighting! I’ve also forwarded your information to the Wye Marsh staff for their lists.
Wye Marsh responded with this information
Thank you for reporting your sighting of Trumpeter Swans.
If you have any pictures of the tags to help id the birds that would
be good. Most of the 100 series birds have lost their tags by now.
155 is a female, hatched in 2007 to parents 826 & 747 at Bluffers
Park in Toronto.
160 is a male, hatched in 2007 to parents 008 & 996 at Wye Marsh in Midland.
165 is a female, hatched in 2009 to unknown parents at Wye Marsh in
Midland. As far as we know 165 has not left Wye Marsh, so the
sighting of her in Chapleau is somewhat surprising.
If you could provide GPS coordinates for the sighting, it would be helpful.
A good website to find that information:
is http://itouchmap.com/latlong.html
Thanks, Kyna, Ontario Trumpeter Swan Restoration
trumpeterswan@live.com
Facebook “Ontario Trumpeter Swans”
This lonely Swan (YellowTag #K21) is located on Stonehenge Golf Course on the small lake at Hole #5.
Golf Course is on Taunton Road, east of the hamlet of Hampton, ON
hope this info is helpful…I golf there weekly
Interesting place for a swan to pick! I’ll report this one to the Trumpeter Swan group. Thanks!
We’ve spotted a swan on Lake Simcoe here in Alcona (Apr 27, 2014) with the yellow tag K02 (1 digit off of 3rd picture on this page). We call him/her Kayohtoo. Just wondering with the tag numbers if our visitor is one of a pair?
Thanks for sharing your sighting!
I’ve sent your info to the volunteers at the Wye Marsh who track the swans. Hopefully they can respond with more information on this bird.
It’s great to see the swans are out and moving after such as harsh winter.
Hi, I always see these marked swans when I go to the water in Burlington and Hamilton. I realize the research and development aspect of this project but it really is an eyesore and I feel like its ruining the natural Beauty of the environment. Will these tags ever be removed? Or are they stuck with it the rest of their lives?
I am not a researcher with the project so I couldn’t say. I’m just someone who likes to take walks and look at the plants, birds and animals.
I doubt it though since the tags are used to check which swans breed with which, which offspring they have, and so on. These are long-term studies. These tagged birds were re-introduced to southern Ontario by humans, they are not truly wild birds, and most cannot survive the winter without help. There are still some wild Trumpeters which you may occasionally see and they are not tagged.
The yellow tags on the birds tend to last 3-4 years and birds are typically retagged as the tags fall off or fade.
The wing tagging will likely continue as long as the population still needs human assistance to become established or if we find another way to track them that is cost effective.
Other organizations use wing tags as well but neck collars are more commonly used. The colours distinguish where the bird was initially captured.
Each bird is also fitted with a leg band that is used for tracking purposes. The leg banding is common for all tracked bird species usually lasts the life of the bird and will likely continue to be done forever.
My hope is that one day the population will be fine on its own and won’t need wing tags for us to help them. But for now the data is absolutely necessary to track the species and learn more about trumpeter swan biology.
Try to keep in mind without this research, support, and hard work there would be no swans or natural beauty to appreciate at all.
Sara Handrigan – Ontario Trumpeter Swan Restoration Group Volunteer.
Thanks for the updates for the readers. Personally I like the yellow tags and not only because then I can tell at a glance that the bird is a Trumpeter not a Tundra!
I saw a trumpeter swan, approximately 5 feet tall with the tag E 94 on both sides of its wings. They were yellow in color. I live in Brampton, North East bordering Caledon. My home backs onto the ravine and sides onto a huge pond, which is very quiet. This lonely, trumpeter swan was in the pond for approximately six hours. During the six hours I feed him on two occasions. He was eating from my hand. I named him Pratap Singh, after my great ancestor who was a Royal King of the Mewar empire in Rajasthan
Spotted a swan on Stewart Lake (Mactier, On) May 23, 2015. Tag J74.
Thanks for sharing your sighting! I wonder if they will breed there one summer?
I am becoming particularly fond of a trumpeter swan I spotted offshore at the Brueckner Rhododendron Garden (Lakshore/Shawnmarr) – I’ve named him “Leopold” (R 16). On Sunday, May 31, 2015, spotted him with two friends – K94 and L90
That’s wonderful that you’ve been seeing Leopold for some time. I hope his friends stay to keep him company. Thanks for sharing your sighting!
I spotted R16 yesterday! Along with M46 – May 19, 2017.
They certainly are on the move and some of them are nesting. Thanks for sharing your sighting!
Missing from Port Credit, trumpeter swan K94 and J52, they spent last fall here together as couple and this spring K94 returned alone and now he is gon too. Also L90 was here too for short period of time, he was so friendly, we really miss them all.
If you have info where they gone let us know, we want know that they are O.K.
Thank you,
Nick and Olga.
Hi,
I’m not involved with the swan tracking program, but I’ve forwarded your question on to trumpeterswan@live.com and asked them to reply to you if they have an update.
I noticed in the article in the Toronto Star on the swans that they say that swans that are 2-3 years old will often start wandering and have been spotted as far away as James Bay. The article recommends reporting sightings to the email I mentioned above and/or to the Wye Marsh at http://www.wyemarsh.com/swan-sightings.
Most of the Trumpeter Swans that I’ve seen have flown north of Lake Ontario in the summer to warmer, shallower, smaller bodies of water. Hopefully that’s all that has happened to your favourites.
Thank you very much for sharing your sighting!
Thank you Bet, we have found them yesterday in Brueckner Rhododendron Garden. They are fine, it 4 of them there K94, L90, R16 and I think M98, and around 35-40, hard to count mute swans.
Great news! I’m glad you found them and that you updated us! Cheers, Bet.
june 25/15
two swans landed in our pond today.
one was #M45.
stayed for 3hrs.
we are located in the hockley valley(orangeville area)
Interesting! I wonder where they flew off to later? Thank you for sharing your sighting.
Have seen swan J13 AT Wyldewood golf club
Trafalgar rd and derry the last few weeks. Hanging out with the canadian geese.
Maybe it’s working its way down to Lasalle Park for the winter? Thanks for sharing your sighting!
Just spot a swan at Rouge river mouth close to lake ontario, tag R95
I guess they’re on their way south to Lake Ontario for the winter. Thanks for sharing your sighting!
I saw a trumpeter swan this morning (March 22,2016) on Fairy Lake in Newmarket with a yellow tag M43
Yes, they are on the move for spring! Thanks for sharing your sighting!
I recently saw a trumpeter swan in my local town with the tag “E41”. I am located in the Southfields Village area in Caledon, Ontario.
Sounds like they’re on the move to set up their nesting territories. Thanks for sharing your sighting!
Today, Monday, April 18th about 5:15 p.m. We saw two Trumpeter swans at Bluffers Park. One was tagged L23. I could not see a tag on the other one. They were at the east end of the park in one of the marina bays of water; very close to the edge of the water closest to the road to the beach.
Interesting that they are moving along the lake not more northerly. Thanks for sharing your sighting!
Swans R21 and R79 and 1 untagged swan have been in the storm water ponds at Hwy 407 & 9 th Line in Markham for a few weeks. I believe there are 2 more in another pond also untagged. I will send photos to Wye Marsh address.
How can be sure the untagged are Trumpeters? If it is in fact wild birds along with tagged-could the wild ones take the tagged on a migration ?
Most of the time you can tell a Trumpeter from a Tundra because a Tundra usually has a yellow “tear drop” shape near the bill. Tundras are usually only here for a short time on migration too. I have a bit on info on them at
https://naturalcrooks.com/rambles/tundra-trumpeter-mute-swans-toronto-faces/
and there are good internet sites to compare the swans.
Yes, the tagged ones could decide to travel with the wild migratory ones. That would be a good thing for the future generations.
Thanks for sharing your sighting!
Oct 4th I saw 4 swans and on Oct 30th I saw 3 of them. One has what I hope are yellow tags on it’s wings (I am unable to see numbers). I hope the yellow is not a sign of an injury. I’ve sent an email with pictures to trumpeterswan@live.com. Sighting location: Snively Conservation located in Richmond Hill. Ontario
They are on the move at this time of year so I expect you’re right that they are tagged Trumpeters. Thanks for sharing your sighting!
We just seen 3 with one with a visible tag. Couldn’t see number as they were flying over us. In Cache Bay ON around 130 on December 7th. First time seeing them was pretty neat!
Thanks for sharing your sighting!
P20 and four young adults (greyish necks and heads) were here for three days.
June 26-28, 2017, Stouffville, Ontario
Great to hear they are increasing in numbers–thanks for sharing!
I live on a farm in Markham, Ontario and have had a single tagged swan on my pond for nearly 5 weeks – M34. This swan has made this pond his/her home and has not left. Should I be concerned? There is also a family of 4 geese – mom, dad and 2 grown babies who have been here for over 2 months. The swan loves to hang out with the geese. Is this normal behaviour for a swan?
I certainly am not a swan expert, so I hope if someone who knows more reads this, they will chime in with more insight.
It doesn’t sound worrying to me, though. Unpaired waterfowl and ones that have had their nest swamped by this year’s heavy rains will often “relax” after the urge to nest passes, and just hang out.
I’ve often seen Trumpeter Swans near Canada Geese. It’s Mute Swans that I have seen driving away Canada Geese. I haven’t seen them socialize but I have seen them swimming in the same area and resting beside each other on shore. Maybe your Swan is a bit lonely and enjoys the company?
Thanks for sharing your interesting observations!
M34 is still living on our farm pond. The geese are long gone and this beautiful swan remains.
Hopefully next summer it will bring a partner!
Our house is waterfront on the Bay of Quinte. There is a trumpeter swan, Tag: K29, in the area. We also have two families of mute swans with young cygnets. The mute swans have attacked the trumpeter one numerous times. I am not sure if it can fly.
I’m sorry to hear you have aggressive Mute Swans in your area. They are becoming a real threat to native birds along the Great Lakes. The Trumpeter may be injured or it may have been in the moult stage and had difficulty flying. Thank you for sharing your sighting.
Jan. 25 2018 Caledonia Ontario on Grand River between dam and bridge Swan P18 and P14. They have been here for a couple weeks.
Sounds like they may try to stay there for the winter–I hope it doesn’t freeze up. Thanks for sharing your sighting!
Hello – I reported seeing R86 on Lake Couchiching this morning with one untagged companion. Do you know where the bird is from? Seemed pretty friendly, swam up to us.
Sorry, no, I don’t work with the people who tag the birds so I have no access to their records. The birds that over-winter at LaSalle Marina get new tags if they don’t have any so it isn’t one of the birds from there. I wonder if it was fed by humans this winter, though, if it was ok with strangers? The ones at LaSalle are almost tame from being fed grain in the winter. Thanks for sharing!
Saw a tag one near the mouth of the nottawasaga river it was super friendly tried coming right in my car T30
I suspect it was hoping you had some corn with you to share–thanks for sharing!
Our cottage is on Balsam Lake. We have swans here since the last four or five years. One is tagged M54. I’ll get the other tag # to you later This Spring we wondered why only one swan was around. To our surprise yesterday they both appeared with four babies. I was so excited. They come to me on our lawn
That’s GREAT news! Thanks for sharing it!
I was at Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington yesterday and we saw two tagged swans with number A59. They both had the same number and they had three offspring about half their size with them – with no tags on the offspring. Very excited to learn about them and to teach my children about what scientists are trying to do in preserving this beautiful species.
I have also sent the pics to the email mentioned in your article. Thx. ☺️
Sounds like a great experience for your family–hopefully you will see the swans again next spring!
Sun Sept 9/18
Sited 4 young swans in a pond in Wismer Commons in Markham,On. Tag #’s, T41,P68,R76,P46. Out of curiosity, why can we not feed them when I feed my birds, squirrels, and a cottontail who is so tame it will eat carrots and green grapes out of my hand and even come into my kitchen to eat its morning breakfast of bird seed right off my kitchen floor!
I believe the policy is because of the Mallards and Canada Geese who come to steal the food end up polluting the water and can also gather in such large groups that outbreaks of Avian Cholera occur. It can kill off large numbers of the local waterfowl. I’m not sure though and I am glad you can see a family of young ones!
Sun Sep 9/18
Four tagged swans spotted in Wismer Commons pond in Markham(16th& Mingay).
TagsT41,P68,R76,P46. Very tame came right up to the shoreline looking for food. Why can’t we feed them like my cardinals, chickadees, waxwings, etc?
I suspect the outbreaks of bird diseases are why the rules were made but I’m not sure.
Spotted two swans at Flamboro Downs, Dundas, around the pond area just outside the racing area. One had two tags, I couldn’t seem to get the other one but it had the number E40, and I noticed It had a slight limp. The other one seemed perfectly fine, and the number was 140. They were pretty friendly and allowed me to approach, but walked away once I got too close which is when I noticed the limp. Tell me about them.
Unfortunately I can’t tell you anything about them as I’m just a watcher like you. You may be able to get further info from one of the links in my note but I’m not sure if they are still replying or not, sorry!
Frenchman’s Bay in Pickering is teaming with water fowl right now. Observed 2 Trumpeter swans with yellow wing tags. P53 and P54 were their numbers. There are many more Trumpeters and Mutes on the bay as well.
Sounds like it must have been quite a great day for viewing!
P42 hanging out at Bimini Lake Treasure Lake DuBois PA.
Thanks for sharing this–hope it’s warmer there than here!
I saw what I believe to be a trumpeter swan at Lake Artemisia in Berwyn Heights , MD .
It has a yellow tag with the # T87 .
If it had the big yellow wing tag, it most likely was a Trumpeter. Thanks for sharing!
Trumpeter Swan tag K29 has been spotted at Barcovan Beach, on Barcovan Beach Road on Lake Ontario. Seen swimming with a group of different species of ducks, geese and many other swans; mute swans, trumpeter swans and their juvenile. Have pictures of area, and bird species around as well at the tagged swan.
Thanks for sharing your sighting of one of these beautiful swans!
I saw a trumpeter swan today in Collingwood. Tag # T29
It was beautiful :)
Thanks for sharing!
P42 has now been located swimming in a storm water pond which is located in our subdivision on Hunter Road in Orangeville. She has been here from May 10, 2018 until today.
She has been seen swimming with a small flock of Canada Geese but she has remained and the geese are gone.
What would be the proper food to give her, I know that bread is not acceptable.
Her appearance has certainly been an added attraction to our pond.
At this time of year, Swans shouldn’t need any extra food. Thanks for sharing your sighting!
Saw two tagged swans with three healthy looking babies. Female was tagged R40, could not properly see the male’s tag. Location is McKenzie Wetland in Aurora. They have been at that location for a while now.
The family sounds fun to watch!
Currently there is a flock of swans in a cornfield near Sheffield, Ont. They can be sighted daily. Shouldn’t they have flown south by now?
The Trumpeter Swans don’t all know how to migrate as some of them are from re-introduced birds. Those ones tend to only move south when they have to. The wild Tundra Swans usually have moved through by now.
Saw v-46 in Wellington harbor in Prince Edward County Feb 16 It was with another one.
Thanks for sharing–they are great birds!
K80 chased my sister on her morning swim on Echo Lake, just east of Baysville this morning. Lake of Bays area. Swan had breakfast of corn at the neighbors afterwards. Thursday, July 9, 2020.
Interesting! I hadn’t heard of aggression from the Trumpeter Swans before, although Mute Swans can be downright nasty when they think they are protecting their mate, nest or young.
Saw Y16 June 4th, 2022 on lake Simcoe near Sutton.
I saw two Trumpeter Swans at Lakeshore and Windermere in Toronto on august 24/22. The yellow card on one swans wing was huge. Is this good for the bird?
Would this not affect the birds ability to insulate itself or keep itself warm in colder temperatures. Of these two swans the one with the tag looked like it was continually trying to preen or clean it’s feathers.
Is this really good for the swans health.
A small ankle tag maybe, but these large wing tags or the large green tags around the necks of Canada Geese are not right.
I’m not involved with the research program so I don’t know the answers to your questions.
I hope the Swans are not injured by having huge plastic yellow cards attached to their wings.
It looks like the yellow tag penetrates the swans feather layer and insulation which may let the cold in during winter. How do they fly right with those tags attached to their wings? How are the tags attached.
Canadian Geese with huge green collar tags around their necks also. Flattens the birds insulation layer.
I posted this concern yesterday August 25/22 but the post was taken down.