Trumpeter Swan - Range and Habitat

Range and Habitat

Their breeding habitat is large shallow ponds, undisturbed lakes, pristine wetlands and wide slow rivers in northwestern and central North America, with the largest numbers of breeding pairs found in Alaska. They prefer nesting sites with enough space for them to have enough surface water for them to take off, as well as accessible food, shallow, unpolluted water, and little or no human disturbance. Natural populations of these swans migrate to and from the Pacific coast and portions of the United States, flying in V-shaped flocks. Released populations are mostly non-migratory. In the winter they migrate to the southern tier of Canada, the eastern part of the northwest states in the United States, especially to the Red Rock Lakes area of Montana, the north Puget Sound region of northwest Washington state; they have even been observed as far south as Pagosa Springs, Colorado. Historically they range as far south as Texas and southern California. Since 1992 Trumpeter Swans have been found in Arkansas each November – February on Magness Lake outside of Heber Springs.