18 July 2025, in Finland

Swans!

There are two species of large swans on earth who happen to be closely related. The trumpeter swan (Cygnus buccinator), above, lives in North America, the whooper swan (Cygnus cygnus) in Eurasia. Both are named for their voices.

Trumpeters make a trumpeting noise.

Because they nest at Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, Ohio I hear and see them when I visit Magee Marsh during warbler migration.

Their range in North American is a legacy of their near extinction in 1933 and reintroduction throughout the northern U.S. and Canada.

The whooper swan (pronounced “hooper” Cygnus cygnus) has a much wider range and happens to be the national bird of Finland. In Finnish its name is laulujoutsen (low’-loo yoy-tsen).

Though the whooper swan is slightly smaller than the trumpeter, the big difference between them is that whoopers have extensive yellow on their bills whose pattern varies by individual. Like fingerprints, the shape of the yellow wash can be used to identify individual whoopers. Trumpeter bills are all black.

Whooper swans nest on the lake where our Finnish friends have a cottage. At night I hear the whoopers call to each other across the lake.

wingbeats and calling in flight, Finland
(willow warbler in the background)

Whoopers even have disagreements, much like Canada geese.

Trumpeting or whooping, I like the whoopers best.