Migrant Trumpeter Swans Successfully Imprint on Arkansas

A flock of trumpeter swans suddenly appeared on Lake Sequoyah late this winter to the delight of bird enthusiasts. Flocks of snowy white trumpeter swans historically wintered in Arkansas before almost going extinct in the 1800s. The swans are rebounding across North America, but experts say descendants have lost their migratory habits, which help the birds thrive. So for the past decade, wildlife scientists have collaborated on a multi-state project to imprint the birds onto certain secluded aquatic habitats in Arkansas. Karen Rowe with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission says the strategy appears to be working. The agency is also conducting a swan survey and is seeking photographic records of wintering trumpeter swans.