DNR Trumpeter Swan Restoration Coordinators, Ron Andrews (left) and Dave Hoffman prepare a young trumpeter for its journey to Arkansas.-photo by Lowell Washburn. 

by Lowell Washburn
    Most migrating birds travel by air.  But for a flock of 18 young trumpeter swans, the winter migration has taken a unique twist.  Instead of using their wings, these hitchhiking waterfowl are taking the interstate highway --- and they’re taking it all the way to sunny Arkansas.
    According to DNR Trumpeter Swan Restoration Coordinator Ron Andrews, the experiment is literally a round about attempt aimed at increasing future swan numbers in Iowa.
    After being herded into a livestock trailer, the flock departed Northern Iowa on Tuesday, Jan. 22.  Upon arrival in Arkansas, the birds were released early Wednesday at Buffalo River National Park.  The effort is a cooperative joint venture between the Iowa DNR, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, The Trumpeter Swan Society, and the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission.
    “The DNR has been releasing captive produced young swans on state wetlands since 1995,” said Andrews.  “The goal of these efforts has been to reestablish a wild, free flying population of trumpeter swans to Iowa.  So far, the program has been successful to the point that we were able to inventory 30 successful nesting pairs during 2007.”
    Andrews feels that Iowa’s trumpeter swan population is nearing a “threshold level” and will soon achieve self sustaining numbers.  In the meantime, biologists continue to bolster the flock with annual releases of more captive produced birds.  Scientists have noted, however, that young swans [cygnets] raised by wild, free flying parents are enjoying a much higher survival than birds released from captivity.
    “Trumpeter swans are extremely hardy birds, and don’t normally head south until really severe weather sets in,” said Andrews.  “Birds produced in the wild have the benefit of parental supervision.  Families stick together through the winter and the adults lead the way south.  By contrast, captive reared youngsters are out there on their own.  When wetlands begin to freeze tight, they’re forced to sort things out on their own.  Without knowing where to go, many of those birds end up in trouble.”
    “The whole purpose of the Arkansas experiment is to increase the survival of those captive reared, young swans,” said Andrews.  “Until these 18 young birds were captured last week, they had been free flying in the vicinity of their captive, wing-clipped parents.  Those free flights have hopefully fined tuned their inner compass and will guide the birds back north next spring.  Once they successfully complete the first round trip, the route will be permanently filed in their memory bank.  As those birds become adult breeders they will be able to show their own young the safest way south.”
    During the next three years, the DNR hopes to send more than 100 young swans to Arkansas wetlands.  The cygnets are marked with green, numbered neck collars that will help biologists keep tabs on the swans as they travel the flyways.