Swan Talk. There are several kinds of communication exchanges in this video taken at a swan wintering ground.
A single swan flies in overhead. That is unusual as trumpeter swans usually fly in family groups. Why is the swan alone? It may be separated from it mate or family or the young, unpaired swans it travels with (did you know there is no way to tell how old a swan is once it turns white its second summer?). Is it flying in to find its family or its mate? That is possible, but we don’t know.
As the lone swan flies overhead, the swans below it (in the water) greet it with calls. That almost always happens when swans fly in- the swans below greet swans overhead with resonant loud blasts. Usually the swans flying overhead greet the swans in the water too!
The lone swan continues on, circling back and landing on the ice near another group of swans. A side note: landing on ice is much harder on swan feet than landing on water.
After the lone swan lands, the second group of swans begins calling, become alert and “making a fuss”. One swan pair begins wing flapping and chest bumping.
As the lone swan approaches the pair, there is a short scuffle. The lone swan breaks apart the swan pair, establishing dominance.
There is then a loud group honk by the swan group after the short dispute
That often happens as well. Is it approval? “Swan applause?” Is it recognition that some kind of hierarchy was established? Is it a group communication that the swans in the group know “their place?” We don’t know. However there is almost always a short, loud group response after some kind of dispute.
After the group honking subsides, you will hear a lower, rhythmic honking. We’re not sure what the lower range honking means- it could be family members calling. It could be the calls of less dominant swans.
Trumpeter swans have many different kinds of calls. This video shows a few of them. We don’t know what they all mean, but it is lots of fun to watch swan behavior and listen to their communications.
Learn more about "Swan Talk" on our website page: www.trumpeters...
Video by Margaret Smith, Executive Director, Trumpeter Swan Society
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