[Maine-birds] Re: Trumpeter swans on China Lake

These are Mute Swans, and a key character visible in all the photos, even the poorest, is the long and pointed tail. Trumpeter and Tundra Swans have short and rounded or squared-off tails. The dull pinkish bills with black frames is similar to that of juvenile and young immature Tundra and some Trumpeter Swans, but birds like that would not be expected until late summer (where they breed) or in fall and early winter.

The most likely swan in Maine during summer is still Mute Swan, but the species is unexpected in central Maine. Most Mute Swans in Maine show up along the coast from Sagadahoc County south. Trumpeter Swans have not yet made it to Maine regularly, with two records: April 2011 and March 2022. But the introduced populations are increasing and birds lingering into summer have been seen in New Hampshire, for example. But again, the bills would be all black in June and the tails short and not pointed.

The China Lake birds are all white, and I caution describing them as grayish or off-white. That is photo artifact and shading. It is important to work out characters in the field and take care interpreting what a photo shows. The dull orangish-pink bills and lack of obvious swollen knobs at the bill base suggest these are young birds about a year old. They could be siblings and traveling together. Although there was a pair of Mute Swans kept as pets in Waterville years ago, and someone had put out life-size inflatable Mute Swans in Oakland at the north end of Messalonskee, these would be the first Mute Swans in central Maine that are likely free-flying and from established introduced populations. Thanks for visiting; now please go home.

As far as entering these in eBird, if one is unsure of an identification, please use a broader category, like swan sp. (search the eBird species list if using the app). There is also Tundra/Trumpeter Swan in eBird, but in this case initial concerns included Mute; so swan sp. would be appropriate until one works out the identification. And let's hope they don't start showing up here, but there are Mute x Trumpeter hybrids.

Louis Bevier

Fairfield

On Sunday, June 26, 2022 at 2:47:04 PM UTC-4 JMSmith wrote:

4 what i believe, are trumpeter swans are located at the north end of China Lake.  I tried identifying my photo on Merlin and it did not come up with an answer.

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