Talk:Trumpeter Swan

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[edit] Size

"Exceptionally large male Trumpeters can reach a length 183 cm (72 inches), a wingspan of 3 meters (almost 10 feet) and a weight of 17.4 kg (38 lbs)" While I could buy that weight (though 38 lb is 17.2 kg rather than 17.4) for an extra fat speimen, the claimed length and wingspan are simply ridiculous. Accurate measurements have proven to be surprisingly difficult to find on the web, but the Whooper Swan, sometimes considered conspecific with Trumpeter, is 145–160 cm (57–63 in) long with a wingspan of 205–235 cm (81–93 in) and has a maximum weight of c. 12–13 kg (27–28 lb) – though I've heard reports of 14–15.5 kg (31–34 lb) individuals in Denmark. I've found the All About Birds website most useful with this kind of information for North American birds, but it isn't without errors – and that wingspan is definately too low, if meant as an average. --Anshelm '77 21:49, 3 February 2007 (UTC)

The Guinness Book of Animal Facts & Feats unambiguously cites the record wingspan at 10 feet, 2 inches, though there's some questionable information in that book. What surprised me even more was the lengths cited for the Trumpeter and Mute at the following page: http://www.trumpeterswansociety.org/id.htm The upper values are over eight feet, which is beyond ridiculous—isn't it? Does anyone know where this data came from? PenguinJockey 04:17, 1 March 2007 (UTC)

Yeah, Wood's Guinness Book of Animal Facts and Feats does cite that wingspan. I know what you mean about "questionable information", PenguinJockey, but he usually clarifies that the measurements are frequently just "reports".

[edit] i like birds

i like birds they are nice creatchers turkeys look funny wen they run i got to go now ,bye bye your internet user, megan fly —Preceding unsigned comment added by 199.242.176.83 (talk) 19:46, 17 January 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Eggs Laid

“The female lays 8 to 17 eggs in a mound of plant material on a small island, a beaver or muskrat lodge, or a floating platform.” What is the reference for this high number of eggs laid? Perhaps this came from an account where artificial methods for increasing the number of eggs was used. Such methods include removing several eggs or by double clutching.

David Thompson (explorer) wrote: "There are two Species of Swans. They lay from seven to nine eggs. When shot, twelve eggs have been counted in them, but nine is the greatest number I have found in a nest, and also of the number they rear." This is from Tyrrell, J.B. 1916. David Thompson’s narrative of his exploration in western North America 1784-1812. The Champlain Society. Toronto, p. 64. http://link.library.utoronto.ca/champlain/DigObj.cfm?Idno=9_96855&lang=eng&Page=0171&Size=3&query=thompson%20AND%20david&searchtype=Author&startrow=1&Limit=All

The Cornell page says "Clutch Size Usually 4-6 eggs. Range: 1-9." http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Trumpeter_Swan_dtl.html#reproduction This is reasonable and I suggest using this.

Belrose reports on page 91 "Individual clutches have ranged in size from 1 to 9 eggs." This is at the end of a paragraph reporting averages in Alaska and at Red Rock Lakes in various years and at Red Rock Lakes for 17 years. Belrose, Frank C. 1976. Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator). In Ducks, Geese & Swans of North America. pp. 87-92 A Wildlife Management Institute Book Sponsored Jointly with the Illinois Natural History Survey. Published by Stackpole Books, Harrisburg, PA.

Here is a good references for Trumpeter Swan information:

Mitchell, Carl D. 1994. Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator). In The Birds of North America, No. 105 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, and The American Ornithologists' Union, Washington, D.C. --HHB1917 (talk) 16:34, 25 January 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Population

Trumpeter Swan population was surveyed in 2005 as 34,803.
Compiled by T. J. Moser. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Division of Migratory Bird Management, Denver, Colorado. April 2006. pages 5,6. The 2005 North American Trumpeter Swan Survey. A Cooperative North American Survey. http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/reports/wps05/TrumpeterSwan/THE%202005%20TRUMPETER%20SWAN%20SURVEY%20REPORT.pdf --HHB1917 (talk) 21:14, 26 January 2008 (UTC)