Satellite Tracking of Long Point's Tundra Swans 

The Sydenham Conservation Foundation, The Long Point Area Fish and Game Club, The Aylmer Order of Good Cheer, The Long Point Waterfowlers Association, Ducks Unlimited Canada, The Bluffs Hunting Clubm, Bird Studies Canada

Argos based satellite tracking devices

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Tundra swan

The Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus) is the most widespread and numerous species of swan in North America. There are two distinct populations, the Eastern Population (EP) and the Western Population (WP). It is the EP that migrates through southern Ontario as they make their extensive annual migrations between their Atlantic coast wintering areas and arctic coastline breeding areas. Although previous neck-collar studies have provided information about migration pathways of EP swans, little is known about chronology of migration during spring or fall. Further, despite the perceived importance of migratory stopover areas to Tundra Swans, little is known about the population status or habitat use of this species at key staging areas, or how Tundra Swans allocate their time between terrestrial and aquatic habitats during spring and fall.

Twelve adult Tundra Swans were captured and equipped with satellite transmitters and 62 birds (42 adults, 20 juveniles) were captured and equipped with black and white neck collars with alpha-alpha-numeric codes.

• The post European settlement provision of agricultural grains and winter wheat has had a strong influence on Tundra Swan staging chronology and habitat use, particularly during spring.
• Whereas Tundra Swans maximize time spent in agricultural habitats during spring, they are more dependant on large staging wetlands in fall.
• Whereas Tundra Swans tend to use similar migratory pathways during spring and fall, there are seasonal differences in which staging areas are used, as well as in time spent in each of the major staging regions.
• Conservation of staging habitats is critical as EP swans spend half their life migrating between Atlantic coast wintering areas and Arctic breeding areas.
• Thirty-gram neck-collar-attached transmitters were more effective for monitoring long distance movement of Tundra Swans than 95-gram backpack-harness-attached transmitters.

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