Swan Orientation Course

Why is this course important?

Swan hunting has always been controversial to some degree. Most of the controversy is over the occasional harvest of trumpeter swans during fall swan hunting seasons.  While migratory tundra swans provide a unique waterfowl hunting opportunity this pursuit also comes with some responsibility; namely avoiding accidental harvest of the much less numerous trumpeter swan.

Trumpeter swans are designated as a Species of Greatest Conservation Need in Idaho. Although no historical abundance estimates are available, the continental population that once ranged from the Atlantic to the Pacific was reduced to near extinction by 1900, remaining only in small flocks in Alaska and the Rocky Mountains, including the Upper Snake Region of Idaho. 

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game and partners have been working for nearly 30 years to conserve important trumpeter swan winter habitat along the Snake, Henry’s Fork and Teton River corridors. Fish and Game is also actively engaged in trying to restore Idaho’s trumpeter swan nesting population at historically occupied sites in eastern Idaho. Waterfowl hunters can support Fish and Game’s trumpeter swan conservation efforts by learning to differentiate between tundra and trumpeter swans in the field.

Over the years, several lawsuits have been filed to eliminate swan hunting, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has been petitioned to list trumpeter swans under the Endangered Species Act. These legal challenges have not been successful to date; however, reducing the number of incidentally killed trumpeter swans will help keep future legal challenges to a minimum. The intent of this course is to help you as a hunter learn to identify the correct species of swan.

The Pacific Flyway Council revised their management plans for tundra and trumpeter swans in 2017. These plans include updated swan population objectives, cooperative management agreements, harvest management guidelines, and commitments to monitor population status and harvest. The updated management plans allow for a tundra swan hunting season in the Pacific Flyway, including northern Idaho, based on current swan population status.

Idaho Fish and Game developed a proposal for a swan hunting season in northern Idaho in July 2018, and the proposal was supported by the Idaho Fish and Game Commission. The Pacific Flyway Council endorsed Idaho’s proposal.

In August 2019, the Pacific Flyway Council recommended USFWS change the swan season framework in the Pacific Flyway beginning with the 2020-21 season to allow a swan season in northern Idaho with the following parameters:

1. Hunting area may include the four northwestern-most counties (Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, and Kootenai),
2. Up to 50 swan tags may be issued,
3. Only 1 tag may be issued per hunter, and
4. Hunters that harvest a swan must submit a harvest report with bill measurement and color information within 72 hours of harvest for species determination.

Question 1: Which of the following statements is false?

Background

Three species of swan can be found in Idaho: tundra, trumpeter, and mute. It is currently legal to harvest any species of swan during Idaho's swan season, but all hunters are encouraged to avoid trumpeter swans. Distinguishing between tundra and trumpeter swans can be difficult during typical hunting conditions. Knowing the subtle differences between the two species will help you make informed judgment calls while in the field.

Tundra Swans

Tundra swans are by far the most abundant swan during fall migration in northern Idaho. Hundreds of tundra swans begin arriving in northern Idaho beginning in late October. Most birds have departed by late December. In contrast, only tens of trumpeter swans pass through northern Idaho, most of which are present during December.

Tundra swans that migrate through Idaho are part of the Western Population, which breeds in Alaska and winters mainly in California. Some tundra swans winter in Utah during relatively mild winters, but most swans continue on to California. The Eastern population of tundra swans breeds in Alaska and Canada, but winters along the eastern seaboard.

The Western Population of tundra swans has grown substantially over the past 60 years, increasing from about 35,000 in the 1940s to over 100,000 in recent years.

Tundra swan hunting in the Pacific Flyway started in Utah in 1962. Tundra swan hunting was controversial in the beginning due to some opinions tundra swans could not sustain a sport harvest. Idaho will be the fifth state in the Pacific Flyway - following Utah, Nevada, Montana, and Alaska – to hold a swan hunting season. Several states in other flyways have also established hunting seasons on Eastern Population tundra swans. Alaska and Canadian natives also harvest swans and their eggs for subsistence.

The Western Population of tundra swans has more than doubled in size -- even in the face of increasing sport and subsistence harvest.

Tundra swan

Mute Swans

Mute swans are not native to Idaho and are rarely seen in the wild. Mute swans were brought to North America from Europe in the late 1800s and have since established breeding populations in many parts of the U.S. These non-native species are unprotected in Idaho. They may be taken in any amounts and at any time by holders of appropriate hunting or combination hunting license, provided such take is not in violation of state, county, or city laws, ordinances or regulations. If a swan hunter harvests a mute swan, the swan does not need to be tagged or presented to Idaho Fish and Game.

Question 2: Which swan species cannot be found in the wild in Idaho?

More background

Trumpeter Swans

Trumpeter swans in Idaho are part of the Rocky Mountain Population (RMP). It is made up of a migratory component that breeds in Canada, and a relatively sedentary component that nests in the U.S., mostly in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. Both components winter predominately in the tri-state area of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming.

In the 1920s, trumpeter swans were nearly eliminated through over-exploitation for their meat and feathers. Only about 200 trumpeter swans were believed to exist in the continental U.S. in the 1920s.

Protected by the 1916 Migratory Bird Treaty Act, trumpeter swans responded favorably to various management actions implemented by state and federal agencies to increase populations.

The most recent survey (2015) of the RMP yielded nearly 12,000 adult birds. The migratory Canadian component is currently showing sustained growth and is estimated to be nearly 11,000 birds. The U.S. breeding segment is monitored annually and has reached a population level of about 1,000 birds in recent years.

In recent years, about 100 trumpeter swans nest in eastern Idaho, where they are the most abundant swan species during fall and winter. Nearly half (>5,000) of the entire RMP winters along the river corridors of eastern Idaho. Most of these wintering birds breed in Alberta Canada. There are no known trumpeter swan nesting territories in northern Idaho.

Trumpeter swan

Question 3 – What percentage of the Rocky Mountain Population of trumpeter swans is estimated to winter in Idaho each year?

Requirements for hunters

All swan hunters must be properly licensed and have a valid swan hunting tag.

All swan hunters must obey all the general waterfowl regulations included in the proclamation, including steel shot, 3-shell gun capacity, federal duck stamp for hunters 16 years or older, etc. Please familiarize yourself each year by reading the proclamation thoroughly.

There are a few regulations that only apply to swan hunters. They are:

• Idaho Fish and Game (IDFG) encourages each swan hunter to complete this orientation course to improve their understanding of swan hunting issues, to help learn the physical differences between tundra and trumpeter swans, and to clearly teach each hunter what they must do to fully comply with all the rules and regulations regarding swan hunting.
• If you harvest a swan, you must validate and tag your swan immediately at the place of kill. Taking the swan to your vehicle before tagging is illegal.
• Any hunter that kills a swan must, within three (3) days of the date of kill, present the swan carcass (for measurement and identification) to an IDFG conservation officer, regional office or check station, and complete the relevant harvest report. A person may authorize another person to perform the check and report if that person possesses sufficient information to complete the report.

Question 4 – Which is not a requirement for Idaho swan hunters?

Failure to report

Compliance with all regulations will play an important role in maintaining public support for swan hunting. Idaho is one of the few states which can offer the opportunity for a limited swan hunt. Continuation of that opportunity will require the cooperation of all participating sportsmen. In 2020, the Idaho Fish and Game Commission adopted a mandatory check and report for harvested swans to help maintain public support.

Successful swan hunters who do not present their swan for mandatory check and report will incur an infraction. Violation can be found in Idaho Code 36-1401(a)2.(I) and the penalty is in Idaho Code 36-1402(a).

Question 5 – All swan hunters who do not present their swan for mandatory check and report ...

Nature of the controversy

Continued growth and broader distribution of swans is a goal of the current Pacific Flyway management plan for Rocky Mountain Population trumpeter swans. Some biologists believe current wintering areas are approaching maximum capacity to provide food and habitat for this population of swans.

Eastern Idaho already hosts nearly half of the entire Rocky Mountain Population of trumpeter swans. As a result, swan hunting was not proposed for eastern Idaho. Furthermore, some stakeholders believe the harvest of even one trumpeter swan is detrimental to efforts to expand the range of trumpeter swans in North America.

Some groups also believe more trumpeter swans are harvested in other states where swan seasons already exist than are being reported by hunters. Data gathered by the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources suggest 0 to 2 trumpeter swans are taken annually in Utah's swan hunt. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service do not believe this level of harvest is harmful to the trumpeter swan population.

Idaho Fish and Game took the controversial nature of swan hunting into account as it prepared a swan hunting season proposal:

• Swan hunting is only open in Benewah, Bonner, Boundary, and Kootenai counties, where few trumpeter swans are found.
• Season dates are designed to eliminate late December and January hunting when greater numbers of trumpeters are believed to migrate through the hunt area.
• Only 50 tags will be issued for hunting.
• Intensified monitoring, mandatory check and report requirements, and this swan hunter orientation class were developed to help determine trumpeter harvest levels and train hunters to the degree possible to avoid harvest of trumpeters.

Question 6 – Which of the following statements are false?

Bill coloration and size differences

Mute swans are easily distinguished by their bright orange bills and distinctive forehead knobs. However, trumpeters and tundra swans are similar-looking species that are more difficult to identify. Most swans seen in northern Idaho are tundra swans, but most swans observed in eastern Idaho are trumpeter swans. It is important to learn to distinguish between tundra and trumpeter swans.

Trumpeter swans often mix with flocks of the relatively common tundra swans throughout their migration and winter range. Distinguishing trumpeter swans from tundra swans is not easy, but it is possible by paying close attention to a few distinctive characteristics.

Adult trumpeter swans have black bills with a red border on the lower half of the bill; a red border may also be present on some tundra swans. These red borders can be difficult to see from a distance. Trumpeter swans generally have large straight bills in proportion to their heads. It is difficult to readily distinguish a trumpeter swan’s eyes from its bill.

Adult tundra swans also have a black bill, but typically have irregular yellow spots of various sizes in front of their eyes; these spots may be absent on some tundra swans. Their bills are more dish-shaped or concave in profile and smaller in proportion to their heads when compared to trumpeter swans. Their heads are smoothly rounded with eyes usually distinct from bill.

Trumpeter swans are much larger than tundra swans and slightly larger than mute swans. These size differences may be difficult to use as distinguishing features unless the two species are side-by-side or seen at very close range. The size ranges also overlap; small trumpeter swans are often smaller than large tundra swans. Check carefully before shooting at the largest swan in a flock; it could be a trumpeter.

Question 7 - This swan has a concave bill with a yellow patch just in front of its readily distinguishable eye. Which species is it?

©Jami, Adobe Stock #223409513

Takeoff characteristics

Following their takeoff runs and just as they become airborne, trumpeter swans usually pull their necks into a shallow "S" curve. This is seen only for a very brief time during their first wing beats.

Tundra swans hold their necks straight the entire time of the takeoff run and initial flight. This characteristic applies to both land and water takeoffs.

Trumpeter swans may be the last birds in a mixed flock to take off. They may stay as long as one minute or more than the tundra swans. This happens when trumpeter and tundra swans occur together, but are not entirely intermingled (trumpeter swans frequently remain at one end of the flock). This behavior is usually seen in smaller, mixed flocks of less than 200 swans.

These are subtle characteristic for separating trumpeter from tundra swans, and must be used in conjunction with other identification methods.

Question 8 – What species of swan is this?

©Robert Mutch, Shutterstock: 1229390626

Trumpeter swan checklist (Part 1)

Below is a partial list of features that will assist you in identifying trumpeter swans.

• Pink or red/orange at the edge of the bill (sometimes seen in tundra swans too)
• Head is squared and looks proportionately larger than a tundra swan's head
• Longer, flatter bill, with a generally flattened head profile and shape
• Eye appears to be part of or blends into the black bill, with no yellow spot in front of the eye
• Larger bill in proportion to its head than a tundra swan
• Generally a larger bird than a tundra swan

Question 9 – What species of swan is this?

Dominic Sherony on Flickr

Trumpeter swan checklist (Part 1)

Below is a partial list of features that will assist you in identifying trumpeter swans.

• Pink or red/orange at the edge of the bill (sometimes seen in tundra swans too)
•  Head is squared and looks proportionately larger than a tundra swan's head
• Longer, flatter bill, with a generally flattened head profile and shape
• Eye appears to be part of or blends into the black bill, with no yellow spot in front of the eye
• Larger bill in proportion to its head than a tundra swan
• Generally a larger bird than a tundra swan

Question 10 – What species of swan is this?

©Ariel Celeste Photography, Shutterstock: 762497569

Trumpeter swan checklist (Part 2)

Below are additional features to assist you in identifying trumpeter swans.

• "V" shape on forehead, at the base of the bill
• Call is a low trumpet sound (lower tone than a goose or tundra)
• Juveniles in winter may have partially orange feet
• Tend to prefer smaller bodies of water
• When resting trumpeters tend to hold their necks in an "S"-shaped kink
• In flight, the trumpeter's neck can look longer than its body length

Question 11 - Based upon on the information that you've learned, what species of swan is this?

©Steve Oehlenschlager, Shutterstock: 100364255

Tundra swan checklist

Below are additional features to assist you in identifying tundra swan.

• Generally smaller than trumpeter swans
• "U" shape on forehead, at the base of the bill
• Call is a high whistle (higher tone than a goose or trumpeter swan)
• Prefer larger bodies of water
• In winter, juveniles usually have black feet (unlike the orange feet sometimes found on trumpeter juveniles).
• When resting, tundra swans tend to hold their necks straight.
• In flight, tundra swans' necks generally look to be the same length or shorter than their body length.

Question 12 - Based upon on the information that you've learned, what species of swan is this?

Mark Ahlness on Flickr

Mute swan checklist

Native to Europe and Asia, mute swans are common in the eastern U.S., but relatively rare in Idaho. Below are typical features of mute swans.

• Bright orange/red bill on adults
• Black knob on their foreheads, at the base of their bills
• Less vocal than tundra or trumpeter swans, but make grunts, snorts and quiet whistles

hedera.baltica on Flickr

Question 13 – Which statement is false?

Distinctive voices

A swan's voice is perhaps the most definitive way of identifying the species. Unfortunately, they don't always vocalize, and when they do, it can be difficult to make out which bird in a flock is making what sound.

Tundra swans have high-pitched voices, often a quavering "OO-OO-OO," with the accent in the middle; or WHO, WHO-HO, WOO-OO-WOOO, or WHO-WHO.

Trumpeter swans have an unmistakable lower-pitched, resonant, loud, trumpet-like call.

Mute swans are generally silent but not "mute." However, their grunts, snorts, and quiet whistles cannot easily be confused with the distinctive calls of trumpeter and tundra swans.

Question 14 - Which of the following statements about trumpeter swan calls is false?

Distance estimation

These photographs are intended to help you determine whether a swan is in range or not. Do not shoot at a swan farther away than 40 yards (120 feet); you will likely only wound the bird.

Question 15 - To avoid wounding the swan, should you be no farther away from the bird than...