Written by Gary Ivey/ Photos by Gary Ivey
A large release of 25 juvenile trumpeter swans took place at Summer Lake Wildlife Area on June 29th to further the goals of the Oregon Trumpeter Swan Project. This Project’s goal is to reach the Pacific Flyway objectives for Oregon of at least 15 breeding pairs and 75 adults, by building a wild flock, centered at Summer Lake and eventually connecting that flock to the remaining Malheur trumpeter swans. The project is conducted via a partnership between the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), The Trumpeter Swan Society, and the Fish and Wildlife Service (Malheur Refuge).
Our two founders of Friends of Malheur Refuge, Alice Elshoff and Gary Ivey, assisted ODFW staff and other partners with the release. Gary leads the project for The Trumpeter Swan Society. The swans were from a variety of sources, including the captive pairs at Sunriver Nature Center and Pronghorn Resort, Wyoming Wetlands Society, and several zoos. With a couple of exceptions, they were all hatched in 2023 and were sent to spend the winter together at the Idaho Zoo in Pocatello as a soft release site to isolate them from people and make them a little “wilder” before they were released. The swans were banded and fitted with green plastic neck collars, with codes engraved with white lettering for monitoring and identification. Keep your eyes out for green collared swans when you are out enjoying nature. If you would like to support the Oregon Project, you can do so by donating through at https://www.trumpeterswansociety.org
