Tundra Swan
Learn to identify the Tundra Swan by ear. Master the "whu-hoo-hoo-hoo" phrase and tell it apart from similar species.
What the Tundra Swan sounds like
Two swans answer softly with rounded woo-HO and woo-woo notes, sounding almost conversational.
How to tell it apart
Where you'll hear it
Breeds in Alaska and northern Canada; winters along both Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the United States and on the Great Lakes; rare but regular inland migrant across the interior.
Arctic tundra ponds and lakes in summer; coastal bays, estuaries, large freshwater lakes, flooded fields, and river deltas in winter and on migration.
Arrives on breeding grounds May–June; molts and rears young June–August; departs southward late September–October; most reach wintering areas November–March; spring migration peaks March–April.
How to recognize it by sight
The Tundra Swan is an elegant, medium-sized swan that breeds on the remote Arctic tundra and spends the non-breeding season on coastal estuaries, large lakes, and agricultural fields farther south. Compared with other North American swans, it is slightly smaller and more delicate in build, with a short neck and a distinctive high-pitched call that often reveals its presence before it is seen.
Similar species
Trumpeter Swan
Tundra Swan smaller overall with shorter neck.
Mute Swan
Mute Swan has orange bill with prominent black knob.
Snow Goose
Snow Goose much smaller, with shorter neck and pink bill.