Trumpeter Swans Are Back
Winter is right around the corner, and we know because the trumpeter swans are back!
Each year, North America’s largest waterfowl — the trumpeter swan (Cygnus buccinator) — returns to the Pacific Northwest after spending the summer in Alaska and northern Canada. With wingspans reaching over 10 feet and weights up to 35 pounds, these impressive birds migrate south as northern lakes freeze, spending the colder months in our local fields and wetlands.
Trumpeter swans are easy to recognize by their bright white feathers, long, graceful necks, and deep, trumpet-like calls. They often gather in open fields or shallow ponds, feeding on left over grain and aquatic plants. These lifelong mates are a familiar winter sight in Whatcom County, especially around the Lummi Flats and Nooksack River. Just south, the Skagit Valley hosts even larger flocks, making both regions essential wintering grounds for the species.
Not long ago, trumpeter swans nearly vanished from the lower 48 due to hunting and habitat loss. By 1935, fewer than 100 remained, but, thanks to decades of conservation work, their population has rebounded to more than 30,000. Each winter, hundreds return to our region, reminding us how important wetland protection is for wildlife to thrive.
— From The Whatcom Land Trust’s “The Steward”
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Audubon at the Museum
Every fourth Sunday, 1-3 p.m., you can join experts from the North Cascades Audubon Society in the John M. Edson Hall of Birds (Whatcom Museum, old city hall) to learn about migration, conservation, birds in peril, and the importance of studying bird specimens today. The exhibit provides a variety of experiences, including video and audio files, and hands-on activities for children. All ages are welcome.
The Whatcom Museum acknowledges that we gather on the traditional territory of the Lhaq’temish — Lummi People — and the Nuxwsá7aq — Nooksack People, who have lived in the Coast Salish region from time immemorial. The Museum honors our relationship with all of our Coast Salish neighbors and our shared responsibilities to their homeland where we all reside today.
