Sage Szkabarnicki-Stuart, Cygnus buccinator (tagged), 2020
A Toronto boat ramp and parking lot is also a popular winter destination for the largest swans in the world. Trumpeter Swans (Cygnus buccinator) were once thought to be critically endangered and extinct in the province of Ontario, with only 70 known birds left in the wild. When they are not hunted by humans, Trumpeter Swans have a very low adult mortality rate (80-90% of adults die of natural causes) as they have few natural predators. With a ban on hunting the birds and rigorous breeding programs throughout North America, Trumpeter Swans have made a comeback. They are tracked with yellow numbered tags to monitor their survival rates, migratory routes, and breeding patterns.