Trumpter Swans flocking to Viking Lake, says Hoffman
The Trumpeter Swan population at Viking Lake is increasing.
In December, opinion columnist Roy Marshall advised the Express there were currently 10 swans located at the lake, with six of them being young swans. According to Viking Lake staff, there were two pairs of swans on the lake through last winter. Last spring one pair left, and the other pair nested at Viking but did not hatch any eggs.
The second pair of swans and their brood arrived a little while ago. David Hoffman, wildlife research technician with the Iowa DNR who overseas the swan releases at Viking Lake and other lakes around Iowa, said there was a good chance that the pair that returned were the same pair that left last spring.
“It’s very likely that they nested somewhere else, and then returned with the cygnets. The cygnets typically stay with them until the parents are ready to nest again, and the parents will typically nest in the same area, and drive the cygnets off out of visual range. They do that so they can have all the resources for the new family,” Hoffman advised.
Hoffman added the latest pairs of nesting swans at Viking Lake is helping to boost the swan population statewide.
“That pair of swans at Viking Lake is among 120 swan nests that were recorded across the state this year, which is a remarkable increase. One of the swans currently at Viking Lake was earlier reported at Loess Hills National Wildlife Refuge in Northwest Missouri,” Hoffman said.
Additionally, Hoffman said a website is available that will allow anyone in the state to track the swans released statewide, at trumpeterswan.netlify.app/.
“Some of our Iowa swans have a collar with GPS capabilities, and the public can visit that site and see updated locations on the swans. The results are updated every 15 minutes, and it also allows us to track the survival of the swans,” Hoffman commented.
While the numbers are looking strong, Hoffman said they are still planning on having another swan release in Southern Iowa, with pandemic precautions.
“The releases will take place May 13-15. We’re not really sure of all the details of how the releases will work due to the COVID-19 situation, but we’re looking for more options with doing things virtually and providing resources for the school and the public to view if we are unable to hold a full release with a crowd,” said Hoffman.
With the overall goal of continuing to increase the swan population, Hoffman said it was good news that there were now ten swans located at the lake, but was hopeful for more.
“While we’re happy with the increase, we’d like to see more in Southwest Iowa. There are only seven pairs of swans south of Interstate 80, and we’d love to have more than that so we can have sustainable numbers in that part of the state,” Hoffman stated.
As the temperatures improve in the spring, it’s likely the park will see some visitors who travel out to see the swans. Hoffman reminds the public that there are certain things they should avoid doing.
“I would encourage not feeding the birds. They have their natural food, and it creates a situation where they are tamer, and more susceptible to animals or humans that may do them harm. Especially don’t feed them bread that is moldy. Also, don’t get too close when they are trying to nest. They like to be secretive and secluded, so I advised them to observe the swans from a distance,” said Hoffman.
The estimated current count of swans statewide is over 3,000, and the number of nesting sites is very promising news for the population.