Swans preening & swimming

In this video, Mute Swans (Cygnus olor) are preening in the foreground. Mute Swans are not native to North America. They are considered an invasive species outside of Europe and Asia. Mute swans were brought to North America by European settlers during the 1870s to adorn parks, gardens and estates. Since then, feral populations have established and flourished due to escapes from captivity and intentional releases. Today, the largest populations in Canada occur in the lower Great Lakes region of Ontario.

The birds swimming by with the yellow tags on their wings are Trumpeter Swans (Cygnus buccinator). They are the largest swan in the world! Trumpeter Swans are native to North America, meaning they evolved or travelled here on their own (they were not introduced by humans). Trumpeter swans were extirpated from eastern Canada over 200 years ago, primarily due to hunting and habitat loss for development. Extirpation means the species was no longer living in this area. To save the Trumpeter Swans, a reintroduction program was started in the 1980s. The swans in this video are among some 25% of Ontario's entire trumpeter population! These birds return to LaSalle Park Harbour in Burlington Ontario every winter.

La Salle Marina, Burlington, Ontario, Canada. April 1, 2018.