Home > Mute Swan

The Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) is a common Eurasian member of the duck, goose and swan family Anatidae.

This bird is found naturally mainly in temperate areas of Europe and western Asia. It is not migratoryLong-distance land bird migration Many species of land birds migrate very long distances, the most common pattern being for birds to breed in the temperate or arctic northern hemisphere and winter in warmer regions, often in the tropics or the southern he, although eastern populations must move in winter when the lakes freeze.

Owing to its looks, this species is often kept in captivity to decorate parks and ponds, and descendants of such birds have become naturalised in the eastern United StatesThe United States of America also referred to as the United States U. America ¹ or the States is a federal republic in central North America, stretching from the Atlantic in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west. It shares land borders with Canada in and Great LakesThe Great Lakes are a group of five large lakes on or near the United States- Canadian border. They are the largest group of fresh water lakes in the world, and the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence system is the largest fresh-water system in the world. They are s. In some locations, such as Chesapeake BayThe Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Virginia and Maryland. The Chesapeake Bay's watershed covers 64,000 miles² (165,760 km²) in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New, the numbers of these feralA feral animal or plant is one that has escaped from domestication and returned, partly or wholly, to its wild state. Wyoming Mustang (feral)courtesy of U. BLMWild Horse and Burro Program Applicability Animals A feral animal is one that has reverted from birds has increased to the point where they are considered pests because they compete with native birds for habitat and food.

This huge swan is one of the heaviest flying birds. Its size, red bill and white plumage make it almost unmistakable. The most similar species is Whooper SwanWhooper Swan : Animalia : Chordata : Aves : Anseriformes : Anatidae Cygnus cygnus Binomial name ''Cygnus cygnus ( Linnaeus, 1758) Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus is a large Northern Hemisphere swan. It is the Old World counterpart of the North American Trumpet, but that has a yellow and black bill, and lacks the curved "swan" neck.

Young birds, called "cygnets" are brown rather than white, and lack the bright red bill.

Mute Swans nest on large mounds that they build in the middle of a shallow lake. These monogamous birds reuse the same nest each year, restoring or rebuilding it as needed. Male and female swans share the care of the nest, and once the cygnets are fledged it is not uncommon to see whole families looking for food. They feed on submerged aquatic vegetation, reached with their long bills.

Although this bird can be tame, it is aggressive in defence of its nest, and its size and impressive hissing make it a formidable adversary for animals as large as a fox. Unlike Black Swans, Mute Swans are strongly territorial. The familiar pose with neck curved back and wings half raised is a threat display.

Despite its name, this bird can make a variety of hisses and grunts, but it is certainly much less vocal than the noisy Whooper and Bewick's Swans. The most familiar sound associated with Mute Swan is the whistling of the wings in flight once this bird has laboriously taken off from the water.

All Mute Swans in Britain are considered the property of the British monarch, except for flocks owned by the Vintners' and Dyers' Companies. See Swan Upping.