Tundra and Trumpeter Swans

[Photoman]

This was taken at Bluffers Park, I didn't realize there was a Tundra swan among the many Trumpeters when I went through my photos.
Enjoy

Clemens

[thouc]

Nice picture.

However, I believe both are Trumpeter Swans, as Tundra Swans should be clearly smaller (both birds in the picture are the same size) and have a yellow spot (the bird in the picture has a more orange spot) right in front of the eye (this one has the spot a bit further away and below).

If I remember correctly someone else has posted a picture of a Trumpeter Swan with a similar orange spot.

/Thomas

[feathered]

Nice shot. The bird in the background is also a Trumpeter, though I've never seen one with yellow and that's still fairly uncommon. Here's a profile of a Tundra, notice the subtle differences in size and slope of the bill. Tundras are "cuter" and Trumpeters look a little more elegant to me.



I saw one with Mutes and the size difference was also quite noticeable.

[jackbreakfast]

Hello! I enountered a bird I thought was a tundra swan at Col. Sam Smith Park. I was basing my ID purely on the yellow in the lores...I'll attach a couple of pictures now...perhaps this is the same bird?! The thing that puzzles me is that the markings are quite yellow and symmetrical...but still, a trumpeter swan perhaps? I will say that the bird was rather small compared to a mute swan, for whatever that's worth...images were taken on June 9, 2011. I hope this is of interest to you fine folks? Clemens et al, I hope you don't mind my posting this here; I just thought this might be interesting for a comparison, but perhaps I should have posted this is the Bird ID category? I did want to keep these swans connected, though...

[feathered]

I think your bird is a Tundra.

[jackbreakfast]

Ah!
in that case i'm doubly sorry for raining on everyone's parade...we haven't got whooper swans here but at least they're unmistakable...

[Photoman]

Thanks to all for your comments, will keep a better eye out next time. Great pic's of the swans Jack and Feathered.  

Clemens

[thouc]

Additional note regarding Jacks Tundra Swan:

It's an immature bird molting into adult plumage. It's not completely white yet and the lores are probably going to be more yellow in the spring. In the third picture it looks clearly smaller than the Mute Swan.

/Thomas