Trumpeter Swan Re-Introduction Program

Nesting Information

Trumpeter Swans generally nest in marshes or shallow ponds with few trees. They build a nest in the open water for protection, but it is often screened by cattails or located in a secluded area.

Trumpeters mate for life, and often return to the same nesting site year after year once a suitable site is chosen. The pair constructs the nest together, with the male (called a 'cob') dredging up vegetation and passing it over his back to the female (called a 'pen'), who arranges it in a pile. The resulting nest resembles a castle with a moat around it, which allows the swans to guard against approaching predators and effectively defend their eggs or young. Clutch size can vary anywhere from 1 to 10 eggs, but usually averages 5 or 6 eggs.

The eggs are laid one every 24 hours, and incubation begins when the last egg is laid, is solely performed by the pen, and lasts between 30 and 37 days. The baby swans (called 'cygnets') hatch within a 24-hour period, usually around the first two weeks of June in the Midland area.