SWAN WEBINARS

Zoos have supported and been involved in trumpeter swan conservation initiatives for decades. It started in the 1960's when trumpeter swans were brought to zoos from Montana’s Red Rocks Lakes area. In the 1990’s, it included egg collection in Alaska and raising cygnets for programs in the Midwest and Ontario.

You will learn how zoo swans were used in the Iowa swan restoration and are being used in the Oregon Restoration Program. Two short videos show how eggs were collected in Alaska, and how young swans are rounded up at Zoo Idaho and then released into the Oregon wild.

In addition to restoration, zoos have been involved in education and research efforts, promoting the importance of protecting wetlands for the species that call them home. The webinar has many creative ideas for education and outreach.

Jan. 29, 2026
"Thank you to everyone on this webinar for providing so much info. It was great. I am currently a volunteer at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and provide guests with info on the swans."

Ohio restored trumpeter swans to the state between 1996-2003.

In this webinar you will discover the process required by a state for trumpeter swan restoration, including the role of the Flyway approval.

You’ll learn how the state’s historic wetland loss and growth of the non-native mute swan population influenced management actions as Ohio worked to ensure the best wetland habitat for trumpeter swans.

You’ll also explore the fascinating movements of Ohio trumpeter swans with GPS/GSM collars that were part of the larger Midwest trumpeter swan movement research.

Dec. 9, 2025
"The presentation was very informative, Interested in the history and the collaborations with many different organizations, zoos and individuals. Good maps and graphs. Congratulations on the restoration!"

The North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) celebrates 40 years of conservation progress in 2026.

Some of the lessons from NAWMP are clear and simple. NAWMP was built on voluntary partnerships, people working together from Canada to Mexico to achieve big things while no one was truly "in charge". Migratory birds with their flyway connections have natural powers to bring people together in a common cause. Partners need to care about outcomes, not credit. Integrity and trust are crucial, as is evaluating programs and adapting to biological and social change.

November 20, 2025
"It was an awesome presentation…I learned a lot about the 40 years of conservation efforts, and was especially interested in the many partnerships that enabled this to happen!"

Did you ever wonder what swans are doing, and why? Now you can find out!

Watch short and engaging videos of swan behaviors. Explore swan behaviors during the year- from building a nest, to caring for cygnets, feeding, preening, mating and more!

Discover the beauty and fun moments of swan behavior.

Learn how to recognize and prevent some swan health and safety issues.

By the end of the webinar you’ll know how to anticipate displays, flight take-offs, and the iconic heart shapes for your personal photos and videos!

Welcome to the wonderful world of swan behavior!

October 30, 2025
“The short videos of their behavior were wonderful, and their interpretation by the two experts was especially helpful. Great job!”

The W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary played a crucial role in the successful reintroduction of the Trumpeter Swan in the state of Michigan. The effort was led by the late Joe Johnson, Manager. Discover the fascinating story of almost 100 years of waterfowl conservation, research, and education at this special nature center. The Sanctuary is a must-visit destination. Although active management of Trumpeter Swans is no longer necessary in Michigan, you’ll learn about the current population and the factors impacting them today. You’ll also explore the travels of thirteen Michigan swans that were part of the Midwest GPS tracking study.

September 23, 2025
“I liked the historical overview, including the pictures of swan hats & powderpuffs, & coverage of efforts to restore Trumpeter Swans in Michigan. & GPS project. Great pictures & maps!”

British Columbia played a critical role in the survival and recovery of trumpeter swans. The province is the winter home of thousands of migrating trumpeter (and tundra) swans from Alaska and Yukon. British Columbia has both winter and summer nesting swan habitats- such as coastal estuaries, river valleys, and farmlands. However, these important habitats are often located on private lands.

In this webinar you’ll discover how the Nature Trust of BC and its partners purchased, protected, restored, and managed thousands of acres of key swan habitats since 1971. Success stories are shared, along with the stories of some of the special properties used by swans. The webinar showcases the beauty of these protected properties!

May 28, 2025
"The migration maps were very helpful. Thank you. I will be checking them out again. I found information specific to Canadians and BC particularly interesting."

Discover the pivotal role this wild and beautiful refuge played in saving trumpeter swans. The remote Centennial Valley is on the north side of the Continental Divide, in Southwest Montana. It is a vast, high elevation, nearly intact, landscape of forest, sagebrush steppe, wet meadow, and the largest wetland complex in the 20 million-acre Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem

The Red Rock Lakes NWR was established in the Valley in 1935 by President Franklin Roosevelt to save what was believed to be the nearly extinct trumpeter swan. In addition to helping save the swan, the result has been extraordinary conservation of other iconic wildlife on the brink in the Yellowstone Region.

April 22, 2025
"All of it- this history lesson, maps & photos were fantastic and thoroughly enjoyed. Bill did a wonderful job - could have listened to more."

Wetlands are an important ecosystem that provide habitat for plants and animals, but have multiple benefits to humans as well. In this webinar, you will learn:
• How to know if you’re looking at a wetland
• The different kinds of wetlands you may see or have in your area
• Wetland functions and benefits
• The current status of wetlands (losses, threats and protection)
· And, finally, how you can help.

March 26, 2025
“A very good introduction to wetlands and the threats they face...”
“Clear illustration of wetland benefits to natural world and humans living in it, and destructive practices.”
“Seeing nation-wide information on what the US and Canada are doing (and not doing) to protect wetlands was neat to see.”
“This was a very interesting and important presentation.”

Other waterfowl can be found with Trumpeter Swans? If you don't know what species they are, this webinar will provide a preliminary guide to identifying the most common duck and goose species you may see, whether you live in the east, midwest or west.

Welcome to the wonderful world of waterfowl!

February 26, 2025
"Yes this is a great webinar for both swan people and people that are learning both birds and waterfowl. Something for everyone."

"I hadn't heard about the horizontal vs. sloping shapes of the backs of dabbling ducks compared to diving ducks. I loved the up-close photos and the arrows pointing to important characteristics."

In February 2023, a dozen swans were captured and received GPS collars at Oregon’s Summer Lake Wildlife Area and Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. Biologists wanted to know where these swans spend the summer, their migration routes in spring and fall, and if they raised families.

Learn how and where the swans were captured and collared. Then we explore some of the results, teaching you how to use GoogleEarth and the GPS data to discover:
• How to see the wetlands where the swans were captured and collared.
• How to do simple calculations like a biologist to determine flight speed, temperatures, distances and altitude.

January 22, 2025
"Excellent presentation by all 3 speakers! The potential educational & research value of this project are almost unlimited (& thanks to Jim Hawkings for adding other ideas for folks to explore on their own)."

You will learn about one of the most serious threats to swan health- lead poisoning. Lead poisoning is caused by lead fishing tackle or ammunition such as lead pellets that are ingested by swans in the fields or in wetlands, rivers and ponds where they feed.

You will learn:
• Why lead is a problem
• How to recognize a sick swan in the wild
• How to safely capture a sick swan to take to a wildlife rehab center
• Diagnosis and treatment of a sick swan at a wildlife rehab center
• What Minnesota has done to address lead poisoning

December 11, 2024
"Of particular note was the discussion of visible (physical) symptoms. The discussion of treatment and the costs was very interesting."

Discover the fascinating results of the largest Midwest trumpeter swan study ever done!

Manitoba, Minnesota, Michigan, Iowa, Ohio, Wisconsin and Arkansas used GPS/GSM tracking collars to track more than 100 trumpeter swans over 3 years.

Find how family status and latitude affected migration departure and arrival dates. Discover the results of lead on the swans in the study.

Explore some of the individual stories of these collared swans that were reported through Trumpeter Watch.

November 13, 2024
"I love the way the data was shared by state - easy to understand, and it really showed the outliers as well."