Interesting facts: For one month of the year, the trumpeter swan sheds its feathers (moults) and is unable to fly until the new ones grow. The pen (female) usually molts first, two to three weeks after egg-hatching. The cob's (male) molt follows after the pen has regrown her flight feathers. The molting period lasts about 30 days. Because even an adult is vulnerable to predators during this flightless period, the swans may seek shelter in tall emergent vegetation. Since the molt is staggered, at least one adult is always capable of flight and defending the cygnets. ~ swans.com

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