Swans on the Move! Both Tundra and Trumpeter Swans are heading north. Lucky people throughout the midwestern states and central provinces have been outside at the right moment, right when a flock wings overhead. Their haunting cries, beautiful plumage, and interesting life history make swans among the most beloved of migrants. They begin their journey on their wintering grounds along the Atlantic coast, and travel all the way to Alaska and the Canadian Arctic, where they will build their nests. Tundra Swans spend HALF of their lifetime migrating back and forth between their wintering and summering grounds! Following the long winter, Tundra Swans begin migration with their lowest body weight of the year. The places where they rest during their journey, called "staging areas," are critical to their health and their ability to reproduce. Listen to the Trumpeter Swan Wait for download; 143 K file. Recording Courtesy of Lang Elliott Listen to the Tundra Swan Wait for download; 126 K file. Recording Courtesy of Lang Elliott Swans stay at their staging areas for two to three weeks at a time while fattening up. They will make their nests in Alaska and the Canadian Arctic, where days are long but the season is short, and their babies will have a lot of growing to do in the short time before they head south again. Would you like to follow two Tundra Swans named Sir Syd and Roast on their 1999 migration? See: Sir Syd and Roast: Diaries of Two Tundra Swans   Try This! Journaling Question To ensure a species' survival, why is it necessary to protect the breeding grounds, the wintering grounds, AND important staging areas? Explain.   Copyright 2004 Journey North. All Rights Reserved. Please send all questions, comments, and suggestions to our feedback form