photo by Phil Swanson

Cygnus columbianus
L 52″ (132 cm).

Song or calls:
Mellow, high-pitched “hoo-hoo, hoo-hoo-hoo,” often given in chorus by flocks in flight.

Description: Sexes similar. Adults white with long, rather straight neck; black bill with small yellow spot in front of eye. Immatures have very pale gray plumage, and pink bill with black tip.

Habitat: Shallow lakes, marshes and adjacent flooded fields.

Where in Nebraska: A regular spring and fall migrant across the state and an uncommon winter visitor.

Nebraska Seasons: Best times to view in Nebraka are March and November.

Field Notes: Nests on tundra.

Fun Facts: In flight, the rhythmic flapping of the swan’s wings produces a tone that once earned it the name “whistling swan.”

Additional Information: Often mistaken for the Trumpeter Swan.

 
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