USGS Home
Contact USGS
Search USGS

Breeding Range. Through the early and mid-1800's, breeding populations of this species apparently occurred regularly along the Missouri River and in the vicinity of some of the larger lakes and streams in the eastern third of the state. These populations were completely eradicated from North Dakota during the late 1800's, probably due to excessive hunting pressure. Records that would appear to pertain to local breeding birds of this species are listed in chronological order as follows:

1800--On September 5 along the Red River south of the Tongue River [Pembina River], Alexander Henry reported that two small lakes were covered with swans and other waterfowl (Reid and Gannon 1928). This date would be too early in the season for fall migrant populations of the Whistling Swan Cygnus columbianus columbianus (Ord).
1833--On June 15, swans were swimming on the Missouri River near an isolated summit called Bald Eagle Head (Maximilian 1843). This summit is located below Apple Creek, probably in Morton County.
1843--Records by Audubon (1897) are as follows:

June 5--Two swans were seen on the prairie along the Missouri River near the mouth of the Cannonball River.
June 8--Two swans were observed on a sandbar of the Missouri River between Fort Clark and the mouth of the Little Missouri River.
June 9--Traveling upstream on the Missouri River, the mouth of the Little Missouri River was passed at 10:00 a.m., and a landing was made at 4:00 p.m. From a hill near this location, a large lake could be seen [possibly Demicks Lake in McKenzie County] where large numbers of swans were reported to breed.
August 9--At Fort Union, Indians had been feeding for 3 days on the flesh of a single swan.
August 17--The day after leaving Fort Union, while traveling downstream on the Missouri River, 22 swans were seen.
August 26--Many swans were seen on the Missouri River near the mouth of the Heart River.
August 31--Large flocks of swans were seen near the mouth of the Cannonball River.

Mid-1800's--Newspaper report indicated that this species nested on Island Lake in Barnes County (Banko 1960).
1884-1885--Reported as breeding along the Red River (Cooke 1888).
1895--Reported to breed at Rock Lake in Towner County by Alfred Eastgate (Wood 1923).
1898--A few swans were reported in the Devils Lake area during the breeding season (Job 1899).