Bird Guide

Trumpeter Swan vs Whooper Swan

Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator)

Trumpeter Swan

Cygnus buccinator

Huge11.1 kgWetland

The trumpeter swan is the largest extant species of waterfowl, and both the heaviest and longest native bird of North America. Adults usually measure 138–165 cm (4 ft 6 in – 5 ft 5 in) long, though large males can exceed 180 cm (5 ft 11 in) in total length. The weight of adult birds is typically 7–13.6 kg (15–30 lb). Possibly due to seasonal variation based on food access and variability due to age, average weights in males have been reported to range from 10.9 to 12.7 kg (24 to 28 lb) and from 9.4 to 10.3 kg (21 to 23 lb) in females.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Jonathon Jongsma · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: USFWS Mountain-Prairie · Public domain
Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus)

Whooper Swan

Cygnus cygnus

Huge9.3 kgWetland

The whooper swan is similar in appearance to Bewick's swan. It is larger, however, at a length of 140–165 centimetres (55–65 inches) and a wingspan of 205–275 cm (81–108 in). The weight is typically in the range of 7.4–14.0 kilograms (16+1⁄4–30+3⁄4 pounds), with an average of 9.8–11.4 kg (21+1⁄2–25+1⁄4 lb) for males and 8.2–9.2 kg (18–20+1⁄4 lb) for females. The verified record mass was 15.5 kg (34+1⁄4 lb) for a wintering male from Denmark. It is considered to be amongst the heaviest flying birds. Among standard measurements, the wing chord is 56.2–63.5 cm (22+1⁄8–25 in), the tarsus is 10.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recording: Sonothèque ADVL · CC0
Photo: Jason Thompson · CC0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Trumpeter Swan and Whooper Swan.