Birds:
Links:
http://www.e-nature.org
http://www.enature.com
http://www.landbirds.com
http://birds.fws.gov
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Birds:
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Common Name: Tundra Swan | ||||
| Species: Cygnus Columbianus | |||||
| Type: Waterfowl | |||||
| Description: Tundra Swan is large bird with white plumage and black legs, feet and back. The male weighs on average 7.5kg and can measure 1.3m from bill to tail. The female is the same size as male, but weighs less than 6.3kg. The Tundra Swans younger than one year are smaller than adults and they have gray plumage, pinkish back, with tips and pink legs and feet. It takes a least two years to grow to be like adults | Habitat: The Tundra Swan’s habitat is near water. In the Hanford Reach, they live near the Columbia River. Also they live in small ponds and smaller rivers. | ||||
| Food: Tundra Swan eats the tubers and roots of fresh plants that grow in fresh water and salt water. In recent years they eat corn and wheat left on the ground after the harvest. | Enemies: Tundra Swan has few natural enemies other than man. Some of them are: Golden Eagles, wolves, fox and bears. | ||||
| Range & migration: In the summer Tundra Swan move to North America, in the Canadian Arctic and in Alaska. In the winter they move south to the lower 48 states. | Reproduction: Tundra Swans do not breed until their forth or fifth year. They begin to nest in late May or early June. The egg average is 170mm in length. Incubation begins when the final egg is laid and lasts about 32 days. The cygnets emerge in early July and weight about 180g. Both parents help them find the food around the pond and they protect them from cold and mosquitoes. After 70 days their weight may be 28 times hatching weight. By that time they should be able to fly well enough to travel to larger lakes. | ||||
| More information: | Links: http://www.e-nature.org |
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