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Photo by Jim Craven A visitor to Lithia Park's lower duck pond tries to snap a photo of the park's new trumpeter swans Wednesday; one bird sits placidly, but the other, at far left, wants no part of it. The trumpeters replace a mute swan, which is not native to the region. Trumpeter swans move to Lithia Park By VICKI GUARINO ASHLAND -- A bit jet-lagged and somewhat confused by the new surroundings, a pair of young swans moved into Lithia Park on Wednesday. Their arrival at the lower duck pond restores a tradition in the park that dates back to the 1920s, when four swans were donated to the city. But in a distinctly modern break with the past, the newest park inhabitants are of an environmentally correct variety. The city has replaced mute swans -- interlopers identifiable by the trademark S-curve neck -- with native trumpeter swans, which have straight necks. Trumpeters are the largest waterfowl in North America, growing to weigh about 30 pounds, says city parks staffer Eric Setterberg, an avid bird watcher. Because of his extracurricular interest, Setterberg found himself in charge of the swan project. The young male and female trumpeters came from a Wisconsin exotic bird breeder, he says. The birds nest in the wild in various spots in North America, including Oregon's Malheur County. Ashland's Parks Commission agreed in January to go with the native species. Only a female mute swan had remained in the pond after the male died in December of kidney failure in old age. Mute swans look classic -- the long neck curling into a graceful S. The image has become such a part of the Ashland scene that the silhouette of twin swans frames the city's seal. Mute swans are immigrants however, brought over from Europe. They have subsequently escaped into the wild and thrived. In some instances, mutes have taken over habitat of native trumpeters. As a result, Oregon limits ownership of mute swans. The birds must be neutered to prevent them from breeding and have wing tendons clipped so they can't fly away. With the environmental concerns in mind, parks commissioners decided to follow the advice of the state Fish and Wildlife biologists and go shopping for trumpeters. The pair the city found cost about $1,700, Setterberg said. To make room for them in the lower pond, the park's lone female mute swan was moved recently to Ashland Vineyards, where a lone male had a pond to himself. The new park swans were lifted from their pet carriers early Wednesday morning. Setterberg said that except for a reluctance to leave the security of their cages, the birds' move was uneventful. A temporary fence around the lower pond will remain in place for a few weeks, until the newcomers get accustomed to the area. The trumpeters are just under a year old and still have their youthful gray feathers. Setterberg says they'll be snowy white as adults. He's less sure, however, about their social life and the possibility of a flock of cygnets some day. But it could be destiny, says Setterberg. "There are only the two of them. It's the only game in town, so..." Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA