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The federal government is considering a proposal to establish a new hunting season for tundra swans in the Prairie provinces — a move that one hunter says could endanger trumpeter swans, a similar-looking, sensitive species.
Proposed changes to Canada’s migratory bird regulations would create a new tundra swan hunting season in Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
Tundra swans are hunted in a handful of U.S. states, but in Canada they’re currently a protected species at the federal level.
David Duncan, a hunter and retired biologist, says such a hunt could lead to people mistakenly shooting trumpeter swans, a sensitive species that can’t be hunted anywhere in North America.
That’s because, in addition to the habitats of the two species tending to overlap, the birds look incredibly similar.
“A good bird watcher can tell the difference between the swans, but … most hunters wouldn’t be able to tell the difference,” Duncan said.
That’s especially true when the swans are flying overhead, making it hard to get a good look at their bill or other defining characteristics like their size, he said.
Duncan worked with swans during his time as a biologist, including as part of the federal government’s Canadian Wildlife Service, which is where the hunting season suggestion comes from.
Trumpeter swans in Alberta were once considered a threatened species under the province’s Wildlife Act. They’re now considered a species of special concern, following dramatic population increases across North America over the past several decades.
“When you hunt the tundra swan … you will accidentally shoot a few trumpeter swans,” said Duncan.
Tundra and trumpeter swans are the only swan species native to Canada. A third species found in Canada, the mute swan, is native to the Old World and is considered an invasive species.
With a wingspan of up to 10 feet, trumpeter swans are among the world’s largest waterfowl species. They’re also considered the heaviest bird native to North America, weighing in at up to 30 pounds.
Hunting season would consider steps to protect swans
Wildlife biologist Frédérique Tremblay, who works for the Canadian Wildlife Service, says the federal government has taken the potential threat to trumpeter swans into consideration.
Tremblay pointed to data from the United States, where the populations of tundra and trumpeters swans also overlap, which shows the number of accidental killings of the wrong species is “very low.”
To protect trumpeter swans, some U.S. states educate hunters on how to tell the two species apart, and require reporting of all tundra swan kills to confirm they’re the correct species.
The Canadian government’s proposal considers a similar requirement for provincial reporting of tundra swans within 24 hours of harvest.
Under the proposed hunt, 500 tundra swan permits would be allocated in Alberta, 600 in Saskatchewan and 400 in Manitoba.
The federal government says a tundra swan hunting season would create new opportunities for hunters, while providing a boost for hunting outfitters and businesses.
The proposal was put together after stakeholders expressed interest in a tundra swan hunt, Tremblay said.
The suggested hunting season is currently at the consultation phase, meaning public input is still being solicited ahead of a formal proposal or decision being made.
Public feedback for the federal government’s suggested migratory bird regulatory amendments, including the proposed hunting seasons, can be submitted by email to [email protected] until Feb. 15.
The federal government’s proposed migratory bird hunting changes also include opening a hunting season in the Prairie provinces for mourning doves — which can already be hunted in Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia — and expanding Alberta’s existing sandhill crane hunt to more parts of the province.
“Alberta supports science-based, sustainable wildlife management, including regulated hunting opportunities where they can be responsibly expanded,” wrote Alberta Ministry of Forestry and Parks spokesperson Michael Plenits in an email.
“Any future adjustments would be informed by population data, conservation considerations, stakeholder input, and jurisdiction alignment. Alberta would support the proposed changes and will continue to work with our federal and provincial partners to make informed decisions.”
Tremblay said the earliest implementation of any new hunting seasons would be 2028.
