( C. c. columbianus ): The North American subspecies. It was named by Meriwether Lewis due to the whistling sound produced by its powerful wingbeats in flight.
The species is split into two distinct geographic subspecies: cygnus columbianus
—commonly known as the Tundra Swan —is a large, migratory waterfowl species that nests in the remote Arctic tundra and spends its winters on coastal and inland wetlands. 🔬 Taxonomy & Subspecies cygnus columbianus
( C. c. bewickii ): The Eurasian subspecies, which breeds in palearctic Russia and winters in Western Europe and East Asia. cygnus columbianus