Swans are a large type of waterfowl that are well-known for their beauty. These birds are not only attractive but there are also many fascinating things about them as well. So we’ve compiled some of the best swan pictures to help show you just how amazing they are.
Baby Swan Riding On Mother
A baby swan is known as a cygnet. As soon as a cygnet hatches it can swim however, it will usually remain in the nest for twenty hours before heading to the water. In the water, they will often ride on the back of their parents. They typically stay with their parents until they are around one year old.
Trumpeter Swan
The trumpeter swan is native to North America. It is considered to be the heaviest native species of waterfowl on the continent. It also has the largest wingspan of any North American waterfowl with some individuals having a wingspan of over ten feet wide.
This species has plumage that is all-white in color and it can be distinguished from other similar-looking swan species by its black bill. In fact, its bill also happens to be the largest bill of any waterfowl. While this species was close to extinction in the early twentieth century, luckily it has made a successful comeback.
Mute Swan
The mute swan is native to Europe and Western Asia. It is an all-white bird with an orange beak that is outlined in black. Most pictures of swans are of this species as it’s the one that’s the most commonly encountered. In North America where it was imported as an ornamental bird, it has actually become an invasive species.
In some areas where there are breeding populations, it is considered to be a pest due to its aggressive tendencies and the disruption it causes to native waterfowl and the ecosystem. However what to do about it, if anything, is a topic of debate.
Young Swan
Mute swans cygnets like the one shown here are born grey with a black beak. As they get older their plumage changes to brown over the first six months of their lives. At around one year they will be mostly white in color although their beaks may remain grey or pink. As they gradually mature their plumage will be white and their bill will turn orange.
Tundra Swan
The tundra swan nests on the Arctic tundra and is known to fly very long distances during its winter migrations. It is all-white in color with a black bill that contains a patch of yellow. There are two subspecies of tundra swan. They are known as the whistling swan and Bewick’s swan. You can tell them apart by the fact that the whistling swan is slightly larger and has more black on its bill.
Feeding Swans
The swan diet consists of a range of different plants. Swans often feed on aquatic plants such as pond weeds and algae. They use their long necks to help reach submerged aquatic plants below the water’s surface. Mollusks and insects are eaten as well. Swans also graze for food on land and this may include grass or agricultural crops such as wheat and rapeseed.
Coscoroba Swan
The coscoroba swan is a swan species that is only found in South America. It has a red beak and its plumage is almost all-white except for the black tips of its flight feathers. The black tips are most obvious when the bird is flying. The coscoroba swan is considered to be the smallest of all the swan species.
Black-Necked Swan
The black-necked swan inhabits southern South America. And it migrates as far north as southern Brazil and Paraguay in the winter months. This species is white with a black neck and head. It has a grey bill with a red knob at the base. The black-necked swan is the largest waterfowl species in all of South America.
Mute Swan Nest
The mute swan will breed and lay its eggs in the spring. Usually anywhere from four to ten eggs are laid. The eggs will incubate for around forty days before hatching. The same nest is often used by the parents from year to year and may be rebuilt when needed.
Swan Attack
Some swan species are known for being aggressive. The mute swan however is considered to be the most aggressive of all swans. It is known for being highly protective of its nest and young. It will also attack and sometimes kill other waterfowl that enter its territory.
Because of its large size and protective nature, other waterfowl will often keep their distance. For this reason, a swan decoy can be placed in ponds, pools, or on land to help keep other types of waterfowl from landing. Decoys are often used to deter Canadian geese in particular.
Black Swan
The black swan is native to Australia and typically breeds in the southeastern and southwestern regions of the country. Like its name suggests this species is black and it has white flight feathers and a red bill. Because of its beauty, it has been imported around the world as an ornamental bird.
In England, several small breeding populations of escapees now exist. An interesting black swan fact is that around twenty-five percent of all pairs are made up of homosexual male birds.
Swan Pair Forming A Heart
Unlike most other bird species, a swan pair mates for life. So for this reason they are often used as a symbol of love and faithfulness. Some of the most romantic-looking swan pictures are of mute swans during their courtship ritual.
During the ritual, the swans ruffle their feathers and face each other with their heads bowed. When they do so, their long curved necks help to form a heart shape. The image of two swans forming a heart is a popular decoration on wedding cakes and for romantic events.
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