View live trumpeter swans in Kenue Park

swan in front of the Dickinson County Nature Center

An eight-foot wingspan, long legs and a graceful neck — the trumpeter swans in Kenue Park are a lovely sight. The two rehabilitated trumpeter swans live year-round on the wetland viewable from the Dickinson County Nature Center in Okoboji. “We have both a male and female trumpeter swan on our wetland, and they are flightless Read More »

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Flying high: Mallards one of highest flying birds documented

mallard duck taking off

We have many wonderful volunteers at the Dickinson County Nature Center, and one of regular front desk helpers loves to bring in articles with interesting animal facts. The last article she brought in from “Smithsonian” magazine told that the highest bird flight ever recorded was by the Ruppell’s griffon, a vulture native to Africa. It’s Read More »

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Trumpeter swans were once gone from Iowa

swans being released

Trumpeter swans are a majestic sight. trumpeter swan Their graceful long necks. Their brilliant white feathers. Their long, slender wings that help them hover above the earth. As strong as they may look, being the largest waterfowl native to North America, they are not invincible. In fact, they were once extirpated — extinct in a Read More »

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4 ways to tell apart swans and snow geese

tundra swan

It’s a big, white bird paddling on that body of water. But what exactly is it? Most likely, it’s a trumpeter swan if you’re in Iowa. The trumpeter swans is native to the state and is the biggest waterfowl native to the U.S., its wingspan reaching up to 8 feet — that’s taller than Yao Read More »

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Feeding the Kenue Park trumpeter swans

two trumpeter swans in the snow

Check out the trumpeter swans on the wetland year-round with our live web camera. Click here. You can also find more videos on our Videos page or watch what Teddy the turtle eats here. Egret, crane or heron? How to tell which bird you have seen Two big white birds — rehabilitated trumpeter swans — Read More »

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Swans standing like flamingoes

Two trumpeter swans and a goose on a partially frozen wetland

I turned on the live web camera at the nature center last week and zoomed in on the two rehabilitated trumpeter swans on the wetland. The weather was warm, and it appeared the waterfowl were having a ball in the springtime temperatures. They dipped their necks down into the water and then bent them back Read More »

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