Comox Valley Naturalists Society

February, 2005
Jocie Ingram

Watching swans rising and landing from our farm fields, estuaries and sloughs is one of the pleasures of living in the Comox Valley. The Valley supports a wintering population of up to 3000 of these beautiful white birds, which are the largest native waterfowl species in North America. An average adult swan weighs 20-30 pounds, has a 7 ft wingspan and is 4 ft tall. Trumpeters are distinguished by their trumpeting call, black wedge-shaped bill and large black feet. Juveniles (cygnets) are gray and slightly smaller.

Populations of swans are increasing on the coast, but numbers haven’t always been high. In the 19th century, Trumpeter Swans were hunted to near extinction. Swan skins were sold in Europe, where the down was fashionable for lady’s powder puffs and hats. In 1916 the Migratory Bird Act legislated protection of Trumpeter Swans throughout the US and Canada. Despite these early conservation efforts, swan populations were dangerously low for decades. Local author Barry Thornton recalls when swans were scarce: “I can remember when, in the early 1970’s, the Comox Valley was host to only three of these magnificent birds.” In 1996, populations rose enough to upgrade the status of Trumpeters from “vulnerable” to “not at risk”.

Historically, Trumpeters were widely distributed throughout the northern United States and Canada. Today, the swans are divided into three geographical populations: 1) Pacific Coast 2) Rocky Mountain 3) Interior (everything east of the Rocky Mountains). The Pacific Coast population is by far the most thriving, accounting for 70% of the world population. The coast population winters from the Queen Charlotte’s south to Washington State, but 40% of these coastal birds winter on Vancouver Island, and half of those winter in the Comox Valley. The stats tell us that the Comox Valley is a special place for Swans!

Trumpeter Swans arrive in the Comox Valley in early November. Voracious vegans, Trumpeters use their large paddle feet to dislodge roots and tubers covered by shallow water. Traditionally, swans fed in tidal marshes and natural wetlands, but since many of these habitats have been lost, swans have adapted to feeding in agricultural fields. Swans can wreak havoc, causing “bathtub sized craters” in farm fields as a result of their foraging. For this reason, the Comox Valley Waterfowl Management Project fosters co-operation between farmers and swans. Special cover crops are planted to lure Swans to specific fields, while they are scared off of other fields.

Almost all of our swans are Trumpeter Swans, but two others species of swans may be found in our area. The tundra (formerly whistling) swan often turns up amongst Trumpeters. Tundra swans are smaller than Trumpeters, with a concave bill that often has a yellow spot at the base. Tundra swans have a higher pitched call, more like a Canada goose. The mute swan, introduced from Eurasia, is distinguished by an S-curved neck and downward pointing head. The bill of the mute is bright orange, with a fleshy black knob connecting the bill to the forehead.

Though Trumpeter Swans have few natural predators, each year hundreds of swans die from lead poisoning. This is most evident in the area of Judson Lake, a lake that spans the Canada/US border near Abbotsford. Though lead shot was banned in Canada in 1997, a long history of shooting in the area has caused a build up of lead shot on the lake bottom. Swans habitually ingest grit from the lake bottom to aid in digestion, but often eat the fatal lead by mistake.

Swans mate for life, and pair bonds are established on the winter feeding grounds. Right around Valentine’s Day, Trumpeters begin leaving us to migrate to breeding grounds in extreme Northern BC and Alaska. By late March, the swans have all gone. Swans nest on large mounds of vegetation, surrounded by water. The female swan or “pen” incubates a clutch of eggs for about a month, while the male or “cob” keeps watch of the nest. By mid September the baby swan or “cygnet” is ready for it’s first test flight. Just before freezing, swans get ready to migrate south. Mated pairs return to the same nesting sites and winter feeding grounds throughout their life span, which may be up to 20 years.

One of the best places to view swans locally is the former Farquharson farm, along the windy stretch of road between the Superstore and the 17th St bridge. Farquharson farm, renamed Comox Bay farm, was purchased by the Pacific Estuary Conservation Program and affiliates in 1998 to protect prime waterfowl habitat. Throughout the winter months, Swan numbers are carefully monitored by the Comox Valley Naturalists Society. Under the direction of Diana Maloff, volunteers count swans weekly.

Click on a link below to view the CVNS newspaper column.