Ducks, geese, and swans · Waterfowl
Tundra Swan
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Cygnus columbianus
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Voice
Call
How to recognize it
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Smallest swan, goose-like at a distance
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White plumage, black legs; bill mostly black
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Shorter neck and compact, rounded head
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Fast wingbeats in flight; high-pitched honking calls
About the species
The tundra swan has a calm, restrained presence, with a clean white shape and a shorter neck that makes it stand out as a swan that looks slightly compact. It feels quieter and more self-contained on its own, but a flock becomes much livelier.
Its voice is high and ringing, and groups get especially noisy while feeding or when one arrives or leaves. It feeds by dipping its head under water or tipping up while swimming, and later in the year it also takes spilled grain and crop remains from fields.
It breeds in the tundra and subarctic, using shallow pools, lakes, and rivers. In winter it moves to grassland, marshland, and coasts, and may also stop in open fields after harvest to feed.
Where to find
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On winter pond edges, canal banks, and quiet bays, Tundra Swan is easiest to spot in the morning, feeding with its head underwater or tipping up to reach submerged plants.
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On open lawns by water and the edges of fields near the city, look for large white flocks walking and picking up spilled grain after harvest.
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Among reeds on rivers and bigger ponds, listen for loud, high-pitched honking when a flock takes off, lands, or one arrives late.
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During migration, watch wide water and open land beyond the city — the swans move in V formations and call to one another overhead.
