Habitat

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A TRUMPETER SWAN’S HOME

Trumpeter swans prefer large marshes and lakes ranging in size from 40 to 150 acres. They like shallow wetlands 1 to 3 feet deep with a diverse mix of plenty of submergent and emergent vegetation and open water.

WHAT IS A WETLAND?
A wetland is a habitat that has a mixture of land and water. Swamp - Bog - Wet Meadow - Fen - Pond

A WETLAND HAS SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS
You will find specialized plants that grow in saturated waterlogged soils.

WHY DO WE NEED THEM?
Wetlands are like giant sponges; they absorb and slowly release water, reducing flooding.

WETLANDS CLEAN OUR WATER
They filter out sediments, cleaning the water of pollutants and excessive nutrients that degrade water sources and underground drinking water supplies.

THEY PROVIDE FOOD AND REST
Just like people on a long highway journey, spring and fall migrating waterfowl need "wetland rest stops" to "refuel" and rest.

WETLANDS ARE SOME OF EARTH’S MOST PRODUCTIVE AND DIVERSE ECOSYSTEMS
Many animal babies are born here. Fish, mammals, reptiles, other waterfowl, and leafy aquatic vegetation share wetland habitats with Trumpeter Swans.

Over 40% of endangered species in the U.S. rely on wetlands for survival. In Ohio, over 24 threatened and endangered species require wetlands.
Over 50% off all wetlands in the U.S. have already been lost.
Ohio has lost approximately 90 % of its wetlands, second only to California in wetlands lost.

The Ohio Division of Wildlife, along with its partners in conservation, has undertaken aggressive action to protect, restore, and enhance wetland habitat in Ohio. The result has been significant gains in wetland quantity and quality. Many wetlands now exist and can support Trumpeter Swans, especially in the Western Lake Erie marsh region, northeast and northcentral Ohio.

TIME CHANGES MANY THINGS
A wetland created by humans needs time to mature. The area you see today will be different several years from now. Vegetation will have grown, the water area grown smaller, the wildlife composition changed.

SOME OF THE PLANTS AND ANIMALS THAT SHARE WETLAND HABITATS

BIRDS:	MAMMALS:	INSECTS:	PLANTS:	FISH:
Mallard	Red Fox	Dragonfly	Sawgrass	Salmon
Wood Duck	Deer	Damselfly	Baldcypress	Bass
Bufflehead	Raccoon	Water Strider	Pondweed	Shad
Canada Goose	Muskrat	Diving Beetle	Muskgrass
Pied-billed Grebe	Big Brown Bat	Whirligig Beetle	Burreed
Shoveler	Little Brown Bat		Wild Celery
Yellow Warbler
Common Yellow Throat
Tree Swallow
Red-winged Blackbird
Belted Kingfisher
Great Blue Heron
Greenbacked Heron
Song Sparrow
Solidary Sandpiper
Killdeer
Barn Swallow
American Goldfinch

Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides
Live in freshwater ponds and lakes. They swim near the bottom, hiding among rocks, vegetation, submerged stumps or fallen trees. These fish are aggressive predators, eating frogs, crayfish, worms, insects and other fish, even smaller bass. Because of their large size, they are sought after by sport fishermen.

Beavers Castor canadensis
Are known as "Nature's Engineers", constructing elaborate dams and lodges. They use their long, sharp teeth to fell trees and cut them into sections for transport. Their strong front legs are used for digging, carrying and manipulating trees and branches, and the back feet are webbed for swimming. They use their large, flat tails to steer in the water, and for support while gnawing on trees.

Diving Beetles Coleoptera dytiscidae
Are air-breathing insects. They trap air under their wing cases, then dive for tadpoles, small fish and other insects. They are fierce fighters and strong swimmers, attacking creatures much larger than themselves.

Toads Bufonidae
Prefer dry land, but enter watery areas during the breeding season. They burrow into the ground to keep cool, and hide from predators. Toads have short, squat bodies and dry, warty skin. To defend themselves, toads secrete poison from glands behind their eyes, or inflate their bodies.

Carp Cyprinus carpio
Are in the same family as the common Goldfish. They flourish in muddy or stagnant waters, releasing up to 2 million eggs at a time in the shallow-water vegetation. The young fish play an important role in the wetlands food chain, as they are eaten by water fowl and other predators.

Crayfish Astacus leptodactylus
Are related to lobsters. They live in freshwater creeks and ponds, hiding under rocks, fallen trees, etc. They come out at night to eat insect larvae, worms, snails and small fish. They require "hard" water, to extract minerals used to strengthen their shells.

Dragonflies Odonata zygoptera
Are large, powerful flyers. Their eggs are laid in the water, and the developing young, known as "Nymphs", will live there for up to 2 years. As they gradually metamorphosize (change) into adults, they shed their skin and emerge as they outgrow it.

Bullfrogs Rana catesbeiana
Are excellent swimmers and jumpers, and the largest American frog. A bullfrog will eat any animal it can fit into its mouth, including other frogs. Because they are amphibians, their skin does not produce protection from dryness, so they must remain in or near the water at all times. They can live up to 15 years.

Garter Snake Thamnophis colubridae
Are harmless, semi-aquatic snakes. They hunt along the water's edge, eating slugs, worms and insects. The most common snake in North America, they are recognized by their long, slender dark bodies and bright yellow stripes.

The Red-Bellied Turtle Chrysemus rubriventris
Is a Terrapin, or semi-aquatic turtle. They are mainly vegetarians, and enjoy basking in the sun on rocks or logs. When full grown, they can reach 10 to 16 inches in length.

Mallard Ducks Anas platyrhynchos
Can be found in almost any body of water, easily cohabitating with man. They frequently interbreed with domestic and wild species of ducks, producing a variety of patterns and colors. Mallards lay their eggs in marsh grasses or nests built near the shore. The female duck is solely responsible for the eggs and ducklings.

Mink Mustela vison
Are active at night and are rarely seen. Although their toes are only partially webbed, they are excellent swimmers and will hunt in the water. They feed on small mammals, birds, eggs, frogs, crayfish and fish. Mink are valued for their pelts (coats), which come in a variety of colors.

Mussels Anodonta
Are bi-valves, which means they have 2 shells, hinged together. They keep their shells slightly open to siphon water in, extracting food and nutrients. A muscular foot is used for moving and digging. Mussels prefer ponds or rivers with stable, muddy bottoms.

Three-spined Stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus
Are known for their curious mating rituals. The brightly-colored male fish constructs a nest and "dances" to attract a female. After she has released her eggs, the male guards the nest from intruders and possible predators. He will fan the developing eggs with his fins, to increase the oxygen supply to the embryos. If the young fish leave the nest area, he will suck them into his mouth and return them to the nest by spitting them out.

Raccoons Procyon lotor
Are nocturnal (active at night), feeding on frogs, crayfish, insects and some vegetation. In populated areas, they can be destructive, invading garbage cans and other areas in search of food. These solitary creatures are recognized by their distinctive ringed tails and "bandit-like" faces.

Freshwater Snails Mollosca gastropod
Use their large, flat foot to glide along water plants and pond bottoms in search of food. They have a rough tongue, called a radula, which allows them to scrape their food off as they move slowly along.

Tiger Salamanders Ambystoma tigrinum
Live in burrows, sometimes along with other animals. They can be found in wet meadows and marshy areas. They are secretive, and hunt at night for worms and other invertebrates. Like all amphibians, they have a smooth, slippery skin.

Marsh Hawks Circus cyaneus
Are also known as "harriers". They inhabit marshes and open grasslands, nesting in dead reeds or marsh grasses. They hunt small animals by flying close to the ground. They may have keener hearing than most birds of prey, since their faces are disk-shaped, like owls.

Red-winged Blackbirds Agelaius phoeniceus
Can be found near virtually any body of water, although they prefer marshes. They construct their nests in bushes, or attached to growing vegetation, such as cattails or reeds. The female bird does not have the distinctive red shoulder patches.

Pickerel Weed Pontederia cordata
Is an aquatic herb which grows in shallow, quiet water. Many animals enjoy eating the leaves and nut-like seeds. Part of the stem extends above the water, with a violet-blue flower blooming on top.

Cattails Typha latifolia
Can be found growing around marshes. Their tall stems and long, thin leaves provide shelter for birds and other animals. In the spring, the fuzzy "tail" bursts, scattering seeds. The male flowers grow at the top of the brown spike, while the female flowers grow at the bottom, allowing for easy pollination.

Waterlilies Numphar variegatum
Are also known as lotuses. They remain closed during the morning, open around noon, then close again at in the evening. Their stems are anchored in the mud at the bottom, while the flowers and flat, round leaves float on top of the water. There are over 60 species, in a variety of colors.