Iowa’s trumpeter swan population continues to rebound, setting a modern-day nesting record in 2025.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources says trumpeter swans attempted 158 nests statewide this year, a 17 percent increase from 2022, according to a statewide observation survey completed in December.
State wildlife officials say north-central Iowa has played a key role in the recovery. One of Iowa’s earliest modern-era nests was documented in Winnebago County, and the birds continue to do well in the prairie pothole region of north-central Iowa, including wetlands in the Clear Lake area.
Iowa began its restoration effort in the early 1990s, releasing more than 1,200 trumpeter swans through 2022. Officials say 98 of the 158 nests were known to be successful this year, averaging more than four cygnets per nest.
Surveys are conducted by DNR staff, county conservation boards, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and volunteers.
Officials say trumpeter swans are a strong indicator of healthy wetlands, though threats such as powerline collisions, lead exposure and avian influenza remain.
