Trumpeter swan effort marks 10-year anniversary

(Photos by Russ Mitchell) A young female trumpeter swan, called a pen, receives plenty of attention from area youth who attended the annual Wings and Wetlands events Saturday near Lost Island Lake in Palo Alto County. The pen came from the Grotto of the Redemption area near West Bend. Her prospective male mate, called a cob, came from a pond near Ames. [Order this photo]

Daily Reporter Staff

Ron Andrews and Dave Hoffman of the Iowa Department of Resources have led a long journey back to Iowa for some large white birds.

It has taken more than a century to bring trumpeter swans back to Iowa. Much of the damage was done by Iowa's early settlers. Iowa's last historical nesting was recorded at Twin Lakes in 1883.

"Part of the reason was due due to market hunting," Hoffman said. "The pioneers and settlers on the prairie used them for food on the table. They used the feathers. The other reason they were lost is because of habitat loss. About 98 percent of the wetlands have been drained in Iowa, making it the most physically-altered state in the nation."

Trumpeter swan coordinator Dave Hoffman of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources displays a female swan for families who attended a swan release as part of Wings and Wetlands Weekend. [Order this photo]

Wetlands also serve as a water filter, meaning water quality also has suffered in Iowa.

The first modern-day nesting pair was spotted in a private pond near Dubuque 10 years ago. Since then, nesting attempts have seen a slow and steady climb with help from the conservation officers.

"Unfortunately we do have really high mortality -- nearly 75 percent more mortality before they do reach that breeding age," Hoffman said.

Vandals and poachers have been a leading cause of death among the trumpeter swan population. Shooting trumpeter swans carries a $1,500 fine. Collisions with power lines have been a close second in swan fatalities.

Lead fishing sinkers and split-shot lead have been banned for 20 years in wetlands, but swans still find fatal doses under the water. It's the third leading barrier to restoration efforts.

"Man is probably the main predator on the adult swan," Hoffman said. "It's amazing: People are responsible for why the swans disappeared, but the neat part is that people are responsible for bringing them back as well."

Ross Dirks shows off his companion, Diana, during a falconry program at the Lost Island Nature Center near Ruthven. Dirks is a veterinarian in the Spirit Lake area and is a certified master falconer. His presentation was part of Wings and Wetlands Weekend. [Order this photo]

Iowa is up to 30 nesting pairs in the state through 2007, according to Hoffman. Most of the 1-year-old cygnets come from 55 flightless partnership pairs maintained by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. They also work with zoos when an opportunity presents itself.

"The very first nest was in 1998, so 30 pairs, after 10 years of restoration is actually pretty good," Huffman said. "What we hope for is at least 50 pairs, we believe, before its a self-sustaining population. Hopefully the swans will end up making it on their own."

The trumpeter swan release at Lost Island Marsh was part of an annual event for several counties in northwest Iowa. Ross Dirks, a Spirit Lake veterinarian, was on hand for a program about falconry. Dog and decoy demonstrations, a target show and wood duck house building were all part of Wings and Wetlands weekend.