[Length 19 in. Wingspan 30 in.]

This male Northern Shoveler was photographed at Lakeside Park, Andrews, Texas, USA. Photo taken with a AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED lens (EFL=450mm) on a Nikon D200 camera. (Date: November 9, 2009)

[Length 16 in. Wingspan 26 in.]

This drake Smew was photographed at St. James Park, London, England, Great Britain. It is presumed to be part of the captive waterfowl collection there. Photo taken with a Nikkor EDAF 300 f4.0 lens on Kodak Elitechrome 200 film. (Date: April 2002)

[Length 16 in. Wingspan 26 in.]

This drake Smew was photographed at St. James Park, London, England, Great Britain. It is presumed to be part of the captive waterfowl collection there. Photo taken with a Nikkor EDAF 300 f4.0 lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: April 2002)

[Length 16 in. Wingspan 26 in.]

This female Smew was photographed at St. James Park, London, England, Great Britain. It is presumed to be part of the captive waterfowl collection there. Photo taken with a Nikkor EDAF 300 f4.0 lens on Kodak Elitechrome 200 film. (Date: April 2002)

[Length 60 in. Wingspan 75 in.]

The Mute Swan gets its name from the fact that it is usually silent and only hisses or grunts when alarmed. Mute Swans occur naturally in Europe and central Asia. They were introduced in many metropolitan city parks of the eastern US. Some of these birds have spread to wilder habitats and established feral populations. They are easily recognized by their large size, their graceful "S" shaped neck, and their habit of arching their wings up over their back like the sails of a ship. This one was photographed in February in a small unfrozen portion of Old Sam's Pond along the coast of central New Jersey, USA. Photo taken with a 300mm f4.5 Nikkor ED lens on Kodachrome 64 film. (Date: November 1983)

[Length 60 in. Wingspan 75 in.]

This Mute Swan and her cygnets were photographed at Brigantine NWR in New Jersey, USA. Photo taken with a 300mm f4.5 Nikkor ED lens on Kodachrome 64 film. (Date: May 1987)

[Length 60 in. Wingspan 75 in.]

This Mute Swan in flight was photographed at Cape May, New Jersey, USA. Photo taken with a Nikkor 300mm ED f4.5 lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: September 1990)

[Length 60 in. Wingspan 80 in.]

Trumpeter Swans get their name from their loud, sonorous "KO-HOH" call. Today, Trumpeter Swans breed locally in isolated groups in the northwestern US, western Canada, and southern Alaska, but they originally ranged widely across the eastern US as well. Habitat destruction and hunting drastically reduced their numbers almost to the point of extinction by the 1930s. Conservation efforts have allowed the western populations to grow, and they have been successfully reintroduced in suitable habitat in the northcentral US. When this one showed up at a small pond in central New Jersey, it caused quite a stir until the local birders figured out that it was introduced to control the large numbers of local Canada Geese (Swans are very territorial and will chase geese away). This "captive" Trumpeter Swan was photographed at Squibb Pond in Princeton, New Jersey, USA. Photo taken with a 300mm f4.5 Nikkor ED lens on Kodachrome 200 film. (Date: February 1984)