Bird

Trumpeter Swan

Cygnus buccinator
Bird Wood River Camp, near present-day Hartford, Illinois New to Western Science
Trumpeter Swan

Photo: The Cosmonaut, CC BY-SA 2.5 ca

Common Names
Swan / Large Swan
Habitat
Freshwater marshes, lakes, and large rivers
First Observed
1804-02-15
Observed At
Wood River Camp, near present-day Hartford, Illinois

Lewis and Clark observed trumpeter swans at multiple points during the expedition. Large flocks were first noted in marshes near their winter camp at Wood River, Illinois, on February 15, 1804, before the main expedition departed. They later encountered the species along the Missouri River. Their observations were among the first to distinguish the trumpeter swan from the smaller tundra swan. The trumpeter swan is the largest native waterfowl species in North America.

Journal Excerpt

Clark, November 1, 1804: "Swans passing from N. to S…. a great number of Swans in a pond to the N.E. Saw Swans and other birds today; the Swans were in greater numbers than I had ever seen before."

Journal References

15 journal entries mention Trumpeter Swan

Sep 30 1804
Missouri River near Cheyenne River — John Ordway: September 30, 1804
...board, when we put off the Stern of our Barge got fast. She Swang round in the Stream the wind being So hard from E. that [it] caused the waves to run high the Boat...
Oct 8 1804
Arikara villages near present-day Mobridge — John Ordway: October 8, 1804
... maps to be correct, rather than the journals, it is modern Swan Creek, in Walworth County. 1 The last word is not perfectly clear in the manuscript; nor am I able ...
Apr 26 1805
Yellowstone-Missouri confluence — John Ordway: April 26, 1805
...e the best meat we find at this time one man killed a White Swan in a large pond 4 or 5 miles from this, be- tween the two Rivers, this pond the men that Saw it Jud...
Jun 26 1805
Great Falls Portage — Joseph Whitehouse: June 26, 1805
... we Set out as usal and proceeded on. Saw a nomber of large Swans on the River. Some of the hunters killed 2 of them. considerable of pine Spruce and bollsom fer tr...
Jun 26 1805
Great Falls Portage — John Ordway: June 26, 1805
... we Set out as usal and proceeded on. Saw a nomber of large Swans. Some of the 1 Twelve hundred feet, according to Lewis. Since reaching Dearborn River (July 18) th...
Aug 6 1805
Jefferson/Beaverhead River near present-day Dillon — Joseph Whitehouse: August 6, 1805
...and the most of his cloaths &c. I was in the Stern when She Swang & jumped out to prevent hir from turning over but the current took hir round So rapid that caught ...
Oct 5 1805
Canoe Camp on Clearwater River — John Ordway: October 5, 1805
...kins, passed Several Islands Some of the hunters killed one Swan and Several brants, we had Several 1 "The roots are of a superior quality to any I had before seen;...
Oct 8 1805
Clearwater to Snake River — John Ordway: October 8, 1805
... of the canoes Struck a rock in the middle of the rapid and Swang round and Struck another rock and cracked hir So that it filled with water, the waves roared over ...
Oct 29 1805
Cascades of the Columbia, portage — Patrick Gass: October 29, 1805
...a large Indian village. On our way down we saw a great many swans, geese and ducks; and a number of sea otter. There are some small bottoms along the river, with co...
Nov 2 1805
Clark: November 2, 1805
...Saw great numbers of waterfowl of Different kinds, Such as Swan, Geese, white & grey brants, ducks of various kinds, Guls, & Pleaver. Labeach killed 14 brantjosep...
Nov 3 1805
Columbia River tidewater, approaching estuary — Patrick Gass: November 3, 1805
...ncamped on a large island, in which is a large pond full of swans, geese and ducks. On our way and here we killed some of each kind. At night Captain Lewis had a sm...
Nov 3 1805
Columbia River tidewater, approaching estuary — John Ordway: November 3, 1805
...d4 which is mostly prarie and large ponds. which is full of Swan Geese brants and ducks &C. Several Indians camped with us. at Sunset we got a small canoe and carri...
Nov 4 1805
Columbia River tidewater, approaching estuary — Patrick Gass: November 4, 1805
...also passed a number of Indian lodges: and saw a great many swans, geese, ducks, cranes, and gulls. We went 28 miles and encamped on the north side. In the evening ...
Nov 5 1805
Columbia River tidewater, approaching estuary — Patrick Gass: November 5, 1805
..., and some of the men went out and killed nine brants and a swan. Three of the brants were quite white except the points of their wings, which were black. We procee...
Nov 7 1805
John Ordway: November 7, 1805
...marshy, partly covred with willows &C. the hunters killed a Swan and Several geese to day and Camped on the Stard Side at a Spring run.3

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