Before European settlers made their way into Ohio country, the resonant call of trumpeter swans, North America’s largest waterfowl, echoed across area wetlands. The call of a trumpeter swan is often described as similar to the notes of a French horn. The call is very resonant and trumpet-like, hence the name trumpeter swan and term swan song.

Here is a mute swan, with her cygnet (baby), and is an undesirable exotic species from Europe that competes for food and habitat with native waterfowl species. Mute swans are very aggressive. Mute swans are often confused with the trumpeter swan but have an orange bill and a distinct black knob.