GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK – Twelve cygnets (baby swans) were born to three Trumpeter swam pairs this year in Grand Teton National Park.
The National Park Service is calling it a “banner nesting season” for North America’s heaviest flying birds.
“Once nearly extinct in the Lower 48, these iconic birds are making a strong comeback thanks to decades of conservation work,” said the NPS. “Today, they’re a treasured sight on park wetlands and lakes.”
Trumpeter swans typically mate for life, returning to the same nesting sites year after year. They are born gray and fuzzy and molt in their second summer, which is when they get their dazzling white plumage. Their wingspan can be up to 8 feet and they can weigh up to 30 pounds, with a lifespan of 20-30 years in the wild. They get their name from their deep honk, which sounds like a trumpet.
NATIONAL PARK NEWS
