Trumpeter Swan on Gold

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The golden light of sunrise is reflected onto Yellowstone's Madison River from a recently burned hillside, creating a golden color on the water. After waking from its slumber this trumpeter swan stretches its wings as the new day begins.

The trumpeter swan is the largest and rarest swan in the world. Their wingspan ranges from 7 to 8 feet and they can weigh up to 35 pounds. They are named for their call, which sounds very much like a trumpet. Hunted for their meat and feathers late in the 19th century, trumpeters were completely eliminated from the Eastern United States, and remained only in isolated areas of the western states, Canada, and Alaska. Trumpeter swans are currently being reintroduced in several areas around the Great Lakes.