Harriman Trumpeter Swan Project Asks Public To Report Swan Sightings

Island Park - For the second year in a row, multiple state, federal, and tribal agencies, along with an international wildlife group are working together to help promote the continued success of the ongoing trumpeter swan recovery efforts. This year, citizens are being asked to help out by reporting trumpeter swans that have been marked and then released. The project is formally titled "Winter Translocations of Trumpeter Swans in Southeast Idaho," and it has been designed to test the effectiveness of trapping and relocation of immature trumpeter swans, that are called signets. Wildlife Biologist Laurie Hanauska-Brown of IDFG is spearheading the project. Along with IDFG, other state and federal agencies include: Idaho Parks & Recreation (IDPR), the United States Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), and the United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR). The Shoshone-Bannock Tribe is also involved, as is the international wildlife organization, the Trumpeter Swan Society. The reason that this study was undertaken is that while the trumpeter swan populations nationwide have made tremendous comebacks, the intermountain population has focused as their primary wintering grounds the Henry's Fork River in and around Harriman Sate Park. Depending on winter conditions and the number of birds, if left unchecked, a harsh winter could result in a potentially serious situation for either the birds or the aquatic habitat of the world-famous trout fishery on the Henrys Fork. In order to alleviate the potentially detrimental buildup of swans, the project is evaluating the success of trapping signets and then relocating them further to south in the Bear Lake and American Falls areas. It is hoped that the young birds can be induced into dispersing to new wintering areas by hooking them up with swans that already have knowledge of other areas. A total of 100 birds are being trapped and fitted with numbered colored collars. A quarter of the radio collars contain hi-tech radio transmitters. Half of the birds are having their right wing painted bright pink. Trapping is only the first phase of the project. The public is being asked to help with the second phase of the project that involves monitoring the movements of the birds. "While temporary wildlife technicians have been hired to track birds, assistance from the public in reporting swan sightings is very important!" says Hanauska-Brown. Anyone who spots a collared swan should call IDFG at 208-525-7290 and report the bird's location as soon as possible. In addition, the color and number of the collar are important information, along with whether or not the wing was painted pink. Information from the public, along with radio telemetry tracking by the technicians will help the project evaluate the success of moving the young birds. According to Hanauska-Brown, "Swans marked last year were observed to have headed as far away as the Colorado River."