Trumpeter Swan
Cygnus buccinator
- Family
- Ducks, Swans, and Geese (Anatidae)
- Order
- Anseriformes
Overview
The trumpeter swan (Cygnus buccinator), or simply the trumpeter, is a species of swan found in North America. The heaviest living bird native to North America, it is also the largest extant species of waterfowl, with a wingspan of 185 to 304.8 cm (6 ft 2 in to 10 ft 2 in). It is the American counterpart and a close relative of the whooper swan (Cygnus cygnus) of Eurasia and has even been considered the same species by some authorities. By 1933, fewer than 70 wild individuals were known to exist; extinction seemed imminent until aerial surveys discovered a Pacific population of several thousand trumpeter swans around Alaska's Copper River.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Range and habitat
Breeds North America from western and central Alaska eastward through east-central Canada and southward through western and central USA; some southward movement in winter; early extirpations and subsequent reintroductions cloud distributional knowledge.
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Continents
Countries
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Trumpeter swan
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
