Audubon's Birds/BIRDSVER1_3.BIN/dp/0064/00647.txt

Text File | 1992-08-27 | 27KB | 392 lines

$Unique_ID{BRD00647}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{American Swan}
$Subject{Anatinae; Cygnus; Americanus; columbianus; American Swan; Tundra Swan}
$Journal{Birds of America:  Volume VI}
$Volume{Vol. 6:226-235}
$Family{Anatinae}
$Genus{Cygnus}
$Species{Americanus; columbianus}
$Common_Name{American Swan; Tundra Swan}
$Log{
Plate CCCLXXXIV*00647P1.scf,26440021.aud
Bird Call*26440021.aud
Family*00635.txt
Genus*00645.txt
Figure 1*0064701.scf
Figure 2*0064702.scf
}

            (C) (P) Library of Natural Sounds; Cornell Laboratory
       of Ornithology 1990-91, 1992; Ithaca, N.Y., All rights reserved.
       Portions copyright (c) Creative Multimedia Corp., 1990-91, 1992

                       B I R D S   O F   A M E R I C A .

                    By John James Audubon, F. R. SS. L. & E.

                   ------------------------------------------
                                   VOL.  VI.
                        --------------------------------


                                 AMERICAN SWAN.
                                 [Tundra Swan.]


                         CYGNUS AMERICANUS, Sharpless.
                             [Cygnus columbianus.]


                            PLATE CCCLXXXIV.--MALE.


     I have never observed any Swans of this species along the Atlantic coast,
or on the rivers that open upon it, beyond Cape Hatteras in North Carolina; and
although they are very numerous on the waters of the Chesapeake Bay and the
streams adjacent, as well as in other parts of the Middle Districts, I am yet of
opinion that the great body of them spend the winter about the Columbia river,
extending their autumnal migrations westward, along the shores of the Pacific
Ocean, into California, and that the columns formed by these birds when about to
leave their breeding grounds in high latitudes, divide into parties, of which
the less numerous bands make their way from certain points as yet unknown,
towards our Middle Districts, while the rest are perhaps following the valleys
of the Rocky Mountains.
     When travelling to a distance they proceed at a great height, with a steady
and well-sustained flight, though by no means so rapid as that of the Trumpeter
Swan, this difference probably arising from the greater weight and alar extent
of the latter.  They usually move in long lines forming the acute angle of a
baseless triangle, the leader often changing his position and falling into the
rear.  On several occasions I have seen seven or eight leading the long single
files behind them in a kind of disorderly crowded manner, which was continued
until the birds were out of sight.
     Not having had sufficient opportunities of studying the habits of these
birds on the waters of the Chesapeake, where they are most numerous whilst in
the Middle Districts, I here present you with an account of them kindly
transmitted to me by Dr. SHARPLESS of Philadelphia:--
     "About the first of September, the Swans leave the shores of the Polar Sea,
according to FRANKLIN, and resort to the lakes and rivers in about the latitude
of Hudson's Bay (60 degrees), where they remain preparing for a departure for
the winter until October, when they collect in flocks of twenty or thirty, and
seizing favourable weather, with the wind not opposed to the direction of their
flight, they mount high in the air, form a prolonged wedge, and with loud
screams depart for more genial climes.  When making either their semi-annual
migration, or on shorter expeditions, an occasional scream equal to "how do you
all come on behind?" issues from the leader, which is almost immediately replied
to by some posterior Swan with an "all's well" vociferation.  When the leader of
the party becomes fatigued with his extra duty of cutting the air, he falls in
the rear, and his neighbour takes his place.  When mounted, as they sometimes
are, several thousand feet above the earth, with their diminished and delicate
outline hardly perceptible against the clear blue of heaven, this harsh sound
softened and modulated by distance, and issuing from the immense void above,
assumes a supernatural character of tone and impression, that excites, the first
time heard, a strangely peculiar feeling.
     "In flying, these birds make a strange appearance; their long necks
protrude and present, at a distance, mere lines with black points, and occupy
more than one-half their whole length, their heavy bodies and triangular whigs
seeming but mere appendages to the prolonged point in front.
     "When thus in motion, their wings pass through so few degrees of the
circle, that, unless seen horizontally, they appear almost quiescent, being
widely different from the heavy semicircular sweep of the Goose.  The Swan, when
migrating, with a moderate wind in his favour, and mounted high in the air,
certainly travels at the rate of one hundred miles or more an hour.  I have
often timed the flight of the Goose, and found one mile a minute a common
rapidity, and when the two birds, in a change of feeding-ground, have been
flying near each other, which I have often seen, the Swan invariably passed with
nearly double the velocity.
     "The Swans in travelling from the northern parts of America to their winter
residence, generally keep far inland, mounted above the highest peaks of the
Alleghany, and rarely follow the water-courses like the Geese, which usually
stop on the route, particularly if they have taken the sea-board.  The Swans
rarely pause on their migrating flight, unless overtaken by a storm, above the
reach of which occurrence they generally soar.  They have been seen following
the coast in but very few instances.  They arrive at their winter homes in
October and November, and immediately take possession of their regular
feeding-grounds.  They generally reach these places in the night, and the first
signal of their arrival at their winter abode is a general burst of melody,
making the shores ring for several hours with their vociferating
congratulations, whilst making amends for a long fast, and pluming their
deranged feathers.  From these localities they rarely depart unless driven
farther south by intensely cold weather, until their vernal excursion.  When the
spring arrives, a similar collection of forces as at the north takes place in
March, and, after disturbing the tranquil bosom of the water for a night, by
incessant washing and dressing, and alarming the quiet neighbourhood by a
constant clatter of consulting tongues, they depart for the north about daylight
with a general feu-de-joie of unmusical screams.
     "The Chesapeake Bay is a great resort for Swans during the winter, and
whilst there they form collections of from one to five hundred on the flats,
near the western shores, and extend from the outlet of the Susquehanna river
almost to the Rip Raps.  The connecting streams also present fine feeding
rounds.  They always select places where they can reach their food by the length
of their necks, as they have never, so far as I can learn, been seen in this
part of the world to dive under the water, either for food or safety.  HEARNE
says, that at Hudson's Bay, "by diving and other manoeuvres, it is impossible to
take them by the hand while moulting."  I have often seated myself for hours,
within a short distance of several hundred Swans, to watch their habits and
manners, and never saw one pass entirely under the water, though they will keep
the head beneath the surface for five minutes at a time.
     "The food they are most partial to is the canvass-back grass (Vitlisneria
Americana), worms, insects, and shell-fish; never, I believe, touching fish,
however hardly pressed for support.  The Geese and Swans frequently feed, but
never fly, together.
     "These birds are so exceedingly watchful, that if there are but three of
them feeding together, one will generally, be on guard, and, when danger
approaches, there is some mute sign of alarm, for I have never heard a sound at
such times.
     "However much noise has been made before, the instant an alarm occurs,
there is perfect sil