"A CLOAK OF MANY FEATHERS"

Trumpeter Swan (Immature) - 7 Photos

There 's probably nothing more elegant than a Trumpeter Swan swimming or flying. But perhaps not during a take-off when a bevy of swans taking off sounds somewhat like a herd of charging elephants as they skate across the water to attain lift-off.

Having done some quick research, a Trumpeter Swan has between 25,000 and 35,000 feathers. That entails a lot of maintenance. :) 

Pure white is, of course, the plumage of the adult but the immature swans have an array of soot-gray to silver-gray feathers mixed in with newly turned white ones. A fully mature Trumpeter Swan is truly royal but I would admit that photographs of youngsters provide an added depth and contrast of feather layering and contouring. 

It's quite the prelude to full on adulthood. 

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