Transcript:

Today on Animal Fact Files, we’re talking about tundra swans. You can subscribe to the channel to stay up to date on new releases! We’ve discussed swans in general previously, but today we’re going to take a look at a specific species, or, well, species...s - tundra swans are found in the northern hemisphere with populations in Europe, Asia, and North America. In summer, these swans nest in arctic breeding grounds, but in the winter, they may travel more than 3,000 miles to environments further South but still pretty dang cold. The tundra swans in Europe are commonly called Bewick’s swans, and those in North America are called whistling swans. Though they’re both also called tundra swans, so yay for common name confusion! In general, these swans are considered to be of the same species, however they do have some slight differences. Tundra swans in Europe and Asia have a more pronounced yellow spot along the base of their bill than their North American conspecifics, though, North American tundra swans do still have this yellow spot, as well. European and Asian tundra swans are also slightly smaller than the tundra swans found in North America. These differences have lead some scientists to classify these swans as separate species.

As we mentioned, these swans migrate long distances in flocks in order to reach their breeding grounds in the Arctic. Flocks have social hierarchies, and the highest ranking members - or basically the most intimidating family groups - get the best spots for nesting. An optimal nesting site is situated near a body of water, preferably an island to help give the nest some extra protection from predators. Tundra swans can be fierce when defending a nest, but they’re still no match for bears or wolves! Depending on the size of the predator, tundra swans will either stay put and the parents will work together to scare the animal off, such as in the case with foxes and even some birds of prey; or they’ll fly away from the nest while the predator is still far away to make finding the nest itself more difficult for the animal, such as with bears.

Tundra swans are considered monogamous, and a couple’s nest consists of 4-9 eggs that take about a month to hatch. After hatching, it’ll take another 2-3 months before the babies are ready to fly. They’ll stick with their parents for up to two years before setting off on their own, and even after that they’ll sometimes return! Tundra swans like live longer in captivity, but in the wild they have been documented to live well past the age of 20.

When it comes time to migrate in the fall, tundra swans look for wetland habitats along the way to their wintering grounds. Water is not only important for collection of food, but also for sleeping. During the summer, tundra swans tend to sleep on land, but during their migration they almost exclusively sleep on water! They’ll stop at ponds, lakes, rivers, and even agricultural fields where they can grab a quick bite and be on their way again. Tundra swans typically dabble the floor of a watery environment to find food in the form of plant matter and sometimes clams. They’ll also eat agricultural products which has earned them the label of “pest” from some farmers. In certain states in the US, these farmers have the opportunity to get back at the birds because sport hunting of tundra swans is permitted with a license. The amount of licenses granted each year is limited, however, because the populations of tundra swans is monitored.

For more facts on tundra swans, check out the links in the description. Give a thumbs up for birds, and thank you for watching Animal Fact Files!