Flocking to Iowa

In the 1800s, trumpeter swans were common in Iowa, but by the 1880s, they were gone. Today the officials with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources are on a mission to bring them back to the state.

Trumpeter swans are the largest North American waterfowl. They can reach 32 pounds with an 8-foot wingspan.

The birds were hunted to near extinction for their white feathers, skin, meat and eggs. The population was thought to be as low as 69 swans in 1935, but unknown flocks were discovered in Alaska and Canada. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology now puts the population at around 34,000.

The Iowa DNR released 20 trumpeter swans at three locations in southwest Iowa in May. Ten of those swans were released at Lake Icaria. Lake Icaria was slated to receive four swans, but at the last minute, the Iowa DNR received extra birds, which were flown to Iowa from Alaska by Fed-Ex free of charge.

Last year, Iowa had 54 pairs of nesting swans but only two of those pairs were south of Interstate 80. Dave Hoffman with Clear Lake Fish and Wildlife, said they are trying to get at least seven pairs to nest south of the interstate, which should allow the population to be self-sustaining. It takes about six years for swans to nest successfully.

Hoffman said the trumpeter swans are important to Iowa because they represent our heritage and are ambassadors for water quality. He said improving our water quality improves our environment, encouraging the next generations of Iowans to stay in Iowa.

“A grandmother told me at a release, she was worried about keeping her grandkids here,” Hoffman said.

He said, that helping the environment with these big, beautiful birds is one reason for them to stay.

Young trumpeters eat insects. As they grow, they eat aquatic plants, often pulling the plants out of the water intact and digging for roots. This allows water to fill the holes, bringing nutrients to the remaining plants and helping keep the ecosystem healthy.

The Adams County Conservation Board partnered with the Iowa DNR to bring the swans to the area. The swans that were released were donated from zoos across the midwest and as far away as Maryland. They had silver bands on their feet, right foot for males and left foot for females, to allow them to be tracked and monitored.

“We are hoping to get them nesting here in a year or two,” Hoffman said. “We had swans displaying some territorial signs last year at Lake Icaria, which is encouraging.”

The release event included an educational presentation on swans and wetlands and an opportunity to touch the swans.

Gail Wilker, who attended the Lake Icaria event, said when the birds were released, they went straight to the water.

“All but one rushed for the water, paddling away across the lake to their new lives,” Wilker said. “The one slowly made his way to the water but kept looking back and around at all the humans that encircled him.”

The swans that were released are young enough to be flightless because swans imprint on the area where they learn to fly. They will return each year as long as there is open water available.