FARMINGTON—During the month of March, a few thousand tundra swans migrate to Alaska and on their way they stop at Farmington Bay. 

“They come from California and stop here to rest and refuel before making their way to Alaska,” said Hayley Pace, program specialist, Eccles Wildlife Education Center. “Tundra swans stay on the water. They’re only on land when they’re breeding. They come here to sit on the ice and water to stay off land.”

The tundra swans migrate through March and come back through in the late fall, Pace said. “We see about 75 percent of the tundra population here – which is about 75,000 birds.”

Technically the swans are tundra not trumpeters, she said. “Tundras are one of the largest waterfowl species like geese and ducks. Trumpeters are much larger. You can tell the difference between them because a tundra has a yellow lore below its eye.” 

Trumpeters make a sound like a trumpet, Pace said. “Tundras have been called whistling swans because of the sound their wings make when they fly.”

Swans mate for life, she said. “Unlike bald eagles they stay with their partner all year round.”

There are two species, the whistling swan and the Bewick’s, said Pace. “The Bewick’s has a large yellow lore and the whistling swan has a small one.”

The center held a “swan day” March 11 for families to come out and view the swans. “We had swan themed activities and guided nature walks because visitors don’t always see swans.”

Pace said the center offers wildlife viewing opportunities in Farmington Bay. “We’re also an education center so we educate people at the same time. Everybody loves eagles and swans. We have a one-mile loop nature walk. We also offer a scavenger hunt with binoculars. There are displays in the center and volunteers or staff members are available to answer questions.”

There is also an artificial rookery at the center, she said. “Great blue herons are nesting now until June. A rookery is a colony of birds nesting together like they would in the wild. It’s one of the easiest viewing opportunities because you can see it from the parking lot.”

The Eccles Wildlife Education Center has a Wild Babies Wildlife Seminar coming up on April 1 from 1 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Join the Division of Wildlife Resources and Wild Aware Utah to learn all about baby animals and what to do if someone encounters a wildlife baby. Register at bit.ly/wildbabies23. The center is located at 1157 S. Waterfowl Way in Farmington.