Tundra Swan

The Tundra Swan is a medium-sized, all-white swan that breeds on the open tundra of the high Arctic. In North America it was formerly known as the Whistling Swan for its soft, high-pitched calls. Many individuals show a small yellow patch of skin at the base of the black bill just in front of the eye, though this feature is variable and sometimes absent.

The Eurasian population, known as Bewick's Swan, is generally treated as a subspecies with a proportionally larger area of yellow on the bill and is described separately.

Key field marks

• All-white plumage with a straight, moderately long neck
• Mostly black bill, often with a small yellow spot in front of the eye
• Smaller and more compact overall than the Trumpeter Swan
• Rounded head profile

Similar species

• Trumpeter Swan: larger, entirely black bill without yellow, longer sloping bill-to-forehead profile
• Mute Swan: orange bill with a black knob and curved neck

Size and the amount of yellow on the bill (small or absent in Tundra Swan versus none in Trumpeter Swan) are the key distinguishing features between the two similar North American swans.

Range and habitat

Tundra Swans breed on shallow ponds, lakes, and wet tundra across the high Arctic of North America and Siberia (the Siberian population being Bewick's Swan).

Migration

The species undertakes long migrations to winter in large flocks on coastal bays, estuaries, large lakes, and flooded agricultural fields, with major North American wintering areas including the Chesapeake Bay and California's Central Valley.

Behavior

Tundra Swans are highly gregarious in winter, forming large flocks that feed and roost together, often mixing with other waterfowl on shallow lakes and flooded fields.

Voice

Calls are soft, high-pitched, and somewhat mellow, often described as a gentle "whoo-ho" or cooing, quieter and less brassy than the Trumpeter Swan's call.

Feeding

They feed by dabbling and upending in shallow water for aquatic tubers and roots, and increasingly graze on waste grain and sprouting crops in agricultural fields during migration and winter.

Nesting and breeding

Nests are large mounds of vegetation built on the open tundra near water; pairs are monogamous, and cygnets fledge quickly to take advantage of the short Arctic summer before migrating south with their parents.