Our programs and initiatives are dedicated to the preservation and protection of the Trumpeter and Tundra swans. Use this page to get more information on where to watch the swans, identifying them, and other helpful resources.
Threats Facing Swans
- Lead Poisoning - from ingestion of lead shot and to a lesser extent lead fishing sinkers Swans eat the lead shot thinking it is grit to help with digestion of food in their gizzard. It is ground down and enters the blood stream causing lead poisoning. It only takes 3 lead shot pellets to kill a 30 pound Trumpeter Swan.
- Power Line Collisions - Power lines pose potential hazards to both Trumpeter and Tundra Swans throughout their range. In the Pacific Northwest these hazards can be significantly reduced through use of bird diverters, devices attached to power lines to make them more visible to the birds. Over the years, more varieties of diverters have been developed and improved to withstand weather and higher wind speeds.
With large concentrations of wintering Trumpeter and Tundra Swans in Skagit, Whatcom and Snohomish counties power line collisions are an ongoing issue. Here Puget Sound Energy and Snohomish Public Utility District have active avian protection programs through which they respond to an average of 200-250 bird-related incidents a year. These power companies also install additional diverters in problem areas.
Of note is the marking of transmission lines in the Snohomish Valley by Snohomish PUD with the use of drone technology. Marking tower supported transmission lines is a challenge as they cannot be accessed from the ground like the roadside distribution lines.
Power lines are a significant cause of mortality for Trumpeter Swans, heavy-bodied birds that need plenty of room for takeoff and landing. Wintering and migrating swans can be at risk. Use of power line bird diverters is required where birds and power Association hopes will spread to Consider contacting your local power company and encourage them to help protect the swans, waterfowl and raptors of your region. - Loss of winter habitat for feeding and roost sites - The increasing importance of agricultural areas has allowed swans to move into new geographic areas, especially where there are dairy farms in western Washington. This has resulted in both a boon for wintering swans in terms of food resources as well as conflicts because in some areas where swans can damage fields during their foraging activities, especially for potatoes and pasture or cover crop grasses. The conversion of waterfowl friendly farming to berry, apple and other types of crops creates a net loss of areas for waterfowl to feed.
- Climate Change - The impact of climate change on important Alaskan nesting and breeding grounds as interior wetlands dry and permafrost disappears. Swans are not able to bring off a brood to flight stage for migration.