Where to see trumpeter swans – a symbol of love – in Minnesota

Anyone who’s perused valentines or romantic greeting cards has probably seen illustrations of swan pairs almost beak to beak, necks elegantly curved to form the shape of a heart.

They’re known to mate for life, which can be up to 25 years. It makes swans fitting symbols of love and devotion.

This time of year, their honking conversations get more animated as they bob their necks up and down like couples on an early date, overflowing with a lifetime of stories to tell. (You can see and hear some of this behavior in a video shared on Facebook by the Minnesota-based Trumpeter Swan Society.)

Swan pairs also show their affection during late-winter mating season by swimming side by side, touching their chests together and sometimes gently lifting their wings and quivering their feathers.

Minnesota’s last swan survey in 2022 estimated a statewide population of 51,860 trumpeters. Winter is the best time to watch them as many stay year-round and congregate in large flocks.

The Mississippi River near Monticello, the Otter Tail River in Fergus Falls, the St. Croix River near Hudson, Wis., and the Minnesota River Valley National Wildlife Refuge in the Twin Cities rank among popular viewing areas, but they may be sighted on any generous stretch of open water statewide. Apps such as eBird and iNaturalist track recent swan sightings.

At 20 to 30 pounds and stretching 4 to 5 feet long, swans require about 100 yards of open water to propel themselves skyward. They run across the surface, feet smacking, as they build speed.

The winter social season ends in March and April when ice melts and swans separate to stake out ponds, lakes and rivers where mates build their nest for the season.

Lisa Meyers McClintick has freelanced for the Minnesota Star Tribune since 2001 and volunteers as a Minnesota Master Naturalist.