Birds of the Lower Ohio River Valley in West Virginia
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Trumpeter Swan Cygnus buccinator
WINTER: Casual Visitant since 1997. Two from 28 December 2000 (GR) to 02 January 2001 (WA) at Green Bottom WMA; one "adult" present from 31 December 2002 (WA, MO) to 14 February 2003 (WA, MG, MO, GR) at Crab Creek, Mason Co., WV; one "immature" from 24 January to 21 March 1998 at Green Bottom WMA (WA, MG, KP); one on 11 February 1997 at Green Bottom WMA and three from 20 February to 01 March 1997 on the Big Sandy River, Wayne Co., WV (Griffith 1997); one "adult" (not banded) present at Green Bottom WMA from 1998 to 2003 (WA). See Remarks section.
SUMMER: NO RECORDS.
MIGRATION:
Spring: Casual Visitant. See Winter section regarding "immature" present to 21 March 1998 and 3 present to 01 March 1997; one on 02 March (BD, GR) and 10 March 2003 (WA, JB) at Green Bottom WMA.
Fall: Accidental. One collected on 30 November 1875 at Letart Island on the Ohio River, Mason Co., WV (Brooks 1944, Hall 1983).
REMARKS: The four birds recorded in 1997 were captive raised, neck banded, and released (OH DNR) at Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Lucas Co., Ohio, in spring 1996 (Griffith 1997). The 1998 record (not banded) was accepted as the second state record for WV (Argabrite et al. 1999). However, as many as 10% of released birds lose neck bands (personal communication, OH Dept. Nat. Resources, Division of Wildlife). It seems likely this re-introduction program is the source of all recent records. The bird found in 2002/2003 was not banded.