June 2020 • Nebraskaland 55
Right: A female swan takes off
from a restored wetland near the
North Platte River in Keith County.
It was one of roughly 60 swans
wintering on the wetland at the
time. The swan was captured and
collared in 2014 on a wetland in
Arthur County, where it also nested.
The bird also wintered on Birdwood
Creek in Lincoln County and, during
warm stretches, returned to the
wetland where it nested.
Lead field researcher Heather Johnson kisses a swan captured on a private
lake in Cherry County while waiting to place a collar on the bird, an image
that speaks to the docile nature of swans.
Neck collars used in the study also carried a GPS transmitter.
