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Do swans in Massachusetts migrate? (1 Viewer)

hong

Active member
There is a swan couple in our local (Ipswich) pond. I thought they are usually gone in the winter. I am not sure where they go, or they just stay and hide somewhere locally.

Hong
 
Know which Sp.Hong? Mutes are introduced in many urban areas in east US from europe.They typically stay the course in more temperate areas.Those feral in northern climates will move seasonally at times also_Our two natives,Tundras being most common summer far to the north.Trumpeters were once found in your area.Large scale efforts are being made to re-introduce them to former range in a number of states.

Here's a link to an org that might assist in ID, other pages in site give a bit of a rundown in range, history of birds.
Might not be apparent,kinda fond of trumpeters here.

http://www.swansociety.org/swan-identification.html
 
There is a swan couple in our local (Ipswich) pond. I thought they are usually gone in the winter. I am not sure where they go, or they just stay and hide somewhere locally.

Hong

The Mute Swans in Mass. (the only species regularly occurring there) are native to Eurasia and are introduced in the U.S. They do not migrate in U.S., though may wander in search of better habitat when water freezes over or food becomes scarce.

Jim
 
Thank you, Bill and Jim.

I assume they are mute swans. I saw them last week. I thought that they usually showed up in March or April. It has been exceptionally warm here.

It sounds like that they just hang aournd this area.

Hong
 

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Profile of bird on right in first pic resembles mute (posture/head). Closest resident pop. of trumps' probably in Ohio. Those birds are wandering around a quite bit. Turning up in northern virginia for instance, member here recently uploaded some pics. Should mutes move out to forage because of enviromental factors, your time frame sounds right. Has been mild winter.
 
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