Time of year is important especially in MN as tundra swan presence is limited with fairly precise timing especially compared to resident trumpeters. The November gathering of migratory tundra and mixed short distance and resident trumpeters on the Mississippi R. is the rare opportunity for direct comparison of the look-a-likes. Chase
On Wed, Apr 21, 2021, 3:16 PM Winter X < 000014c7543ba227-dmarc-requ...@lists.umn.edu> wrote: > Brown-headed Cowbird just hit window ,,,,bummer . Small Lake in > Baytown Township area. Most birds we have seen in years -- turkeys, > pheasants , eagles , many types of owls , finches , many colorful songbirds > , ran out of bluebird houses, wood ducks , geese all over ..... Crazy ... > > > > On Apr 21, 2021, at 3:02 PM, Kim Wilcox < > 00001f18f49fc403-dmarc-requ...@lists.umn.edu> wrote: > > > > Thanks, Steve and Laura - that information is really helpful, especially > > the information on flock size. > > > > Kimerly J. Wilcox, Ph.D. > > *Retired* > > > > > >> On Wed, Apr 21, 2021 at 1:58 PM Laura Erickson < > chickadee.erick...@gmail.com> > >> wrote: > >> > >> Although the pure white feathers are in all swans, with iron staining > >> environmentally controlled, I wonder if it still isn't much more common > in > >> Trumpeters, which seem to spend more time in waters where they can pick > up > >> the stain? At any rate. I'd never observed stained Tundra Swans over the > >> years when they were the only native swan I could see in Minnesota and > >> Wisconsin. > >> > >>> On Wed, Apr 21, 2021 at 11:42 AM Steve Weston <swesto...@gmail.com> > wrote: > >>> > >>> The staining should be completely environmentally determined and not > >>> related to differences in species or species behavior. So, it should > not > >> be > >>> a reliable way to differentiate the swan species. Better ways to > >>> differentiate the species beside field marks include calls and flock > >> size. > >>> Both species are quite vocal and Sibley mobile eBird guide plays > >>> vocalizations and will be right there when needed to compare calls. > >>> Trumpeters move about in family groups typically of 2 to 8 birds. > >>> Tudras migrate in flocks of 20 to 100. So if you see a smattering of > >> small > >>> groups of swans, they are probably Trumpeters and if you see a flock of > >> 20 > >>> or more, they are probably Tudras. You can still see several family > >> groups > >>> of Trumpeters together or when out of peak migration a small group of > 10 > >> to > >>> 20 Tundras. > >>> > >>> Steve Weston > >>> On Quigley Lake in Eagan, MN > >>> swest...@comcast.net > >>> > >>> > >>> On Wed, Apr 21, 2021 at 12:44 AM Keith Carlson <keitheca...@gmail.com> > >>> wrote: > >>> > >>>> Can anybody tell me if coral or pinkish brown staining of the head is > a > >>>> reliable way to distinguish tundra swans from trumpeter swans. Saw > >>> quite a > >>>> few with those colored heads on the wildlife drive at the Sherburne > >>>> National Wildlife Refuge last Saturday and I was guessing they were > >>> tundra > >>>> but was uncertain. They weren't very vocal so that didn't help. > >>>> > >>>> ---- > >>>> Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net > >>>> Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > >>>> > >>>> During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice > >> social > >>>> distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. > >>>> > >>> > >>> ---- > >>> Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net > >>> Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > >>> > >>> During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice > social > >>> distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. > >>> > >> > >> > >> -- > >> Laura Erickson > >> Duluth, MN > >> she/her/hers > >> > >> For the love, understanding, and protection of birds > >> www.lauraerickson.com > >> www.patreon.com/lauraerickson > >> > >> You were made and set here to give voice to this, your own astonishment. > >> —Annie Dillard > >> > >> Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail. > >> > >> ---- > >> Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net > >> Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > >> > >> During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice > social > >> distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. > >> > > > > ---- > > Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net > > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > > > During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice > social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. > > ---- > Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social > distancing, and continue to bird responsibly. > ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html During the pandemic, the MOU encourages you to stay safe, practice social distancing, and continue to bird responsibly.
