The Wintering Waterbird Census of Korea was started in 1999 and monitors 200 major migratory sites in South Korea. Waterfowl counts have been undertaken for more than 20 years since; however, a limited number of studies have analyzed the temporal patterns of waterfowl population. In this study, we analyzed population size changes of wintering whooper swan (Cygnus cygnus) at 112 monitoring sites from 2001 to 2018. The average number of whooper swans was 4,296±42.66 and there was a trend for an increase in population size across the survey period. We found that the population in the Nakdong River Estuary, one of the major wintering sites over 18 years (26.22% of the national population), had rapidly decreased (- 0.77% per year). Conversely, the whooper swan population in the Junam Reservoir and Sihwa Lake increased (+1.64%, +0.54% per year, respectively). Estuaries showed the highest dominance of whooper swans among the five different habitat types, accounting for 32.13% of the population. Reservoir/lakes had 30.60% of the total population and reclaimed lakes (18.24%), river (13.11%), and coast (5.93%) followed. The annual distribution of the whooper swan population in South Korea has been affected by various habitat conditions resulting from human activities and urbanization. To better understand the complex factors that can cause rapid changes in wintering waterfowl populations, it is necessary to integrate the data from the bird census program with environmental conditions to conduct in-depth pattern analyses over longer time periods.

This study was conducted to understand the regional distribution characteristics of swans(Cygnus spp.) in downstream of t he Nakdong River , R.O.Korea from October 2008 to September 2013. During this period, a total of two species and 37,518 ind ividuals of Swans(Cygnus spp.) were observed, including 31,596 Whooper Swans(Cygnus cygnus) and 5,922 Tundra Swans (Cygnus columbianus), respectively. The average number of individuals observed in fifteen different areas was 2255.33 in Daemadeung(A), 143.50 in Jangja·Sinjado(B), 304.00 in Sajado·Doyodeung(C), 1928.00 in Lower Ulsukdo(D), 1392.67 in Ul sukdo(E), 50.17 in Ilwoongdo(F), 91.17 in Yeommak(G), 5.17 in Maekdogang(H), 0.00 in Pyeonggangcheon(I), 0.00 in Lowe r Noksan sluice(J), 2.83 in Upper Noksan sluice(K), 6.17 in Jomangang·Doonchido(L), 4.50 in Chideung(M), 0.83 in Joongs ado(N)and 66.17 in Daejeo sluice(O). The total average of these fifteen areas was 480.81. There was a significant differenc e among the survey areas (Kruskal-Wallis test,  =4055.68, P<0.001). In particular, the observed numbers were larger in Daemadeung, Lower Ulsukdo and Ulsukdo than in the other regions.