Migration chronology of Eastern-Population Tundra Swans

Abstract

We used satellite platform transmitting transmitters (PTTs) in 1998–2000 to track spring and fall migratory movements of Tundra Swans (Cygnus columbianus columbianus) captured at Long Point, Ontario. Migration corridors reported here corroborated those identified in previous studies using alphanumerically coded neck collars. However, PTTs provided additional information on duration of spring and fall migrations, duration of stay in different staging regions, time spent on breeding and wintering areas, and migration speed. Birds migrated between the Atlantic coast and northern prairies along a narrow geographic corridor through portions of the southern Great Lakes. From the northern prairies, swans followed 3 corridors to breeding areas on the west coast of Hudson Bay, central High Arctic, and Mackenzie River delta. While swans spent considerable time on Great Lakes (27% of spring migration) and northern prairie (40%) staging areas in spring, the northern boreal forest was an important fall staging area (48% of fall migration). Tundra Swans spent 20% of the annual cycle on wintering areas, 28% on spring staging areas, 29% on breeding areas, and 23% on fall staging areas. The long duration of migration and the fact that birds spend half their lives on staging areas underscore the importance of conserving Tundra Swan migratory habitats. Thirty-gram neck-collar-attached PTTs were more suitable than 95-g Teflon-harness-attached backpack PTTs for tracking Tundra Swans.