With their long necks and graceful movements, swans are often described as stately or majestic as they swim on lakes, ponds, and rivers. Along with geese and ducks, swans form a group of birds known as waterfowl in North America and wildfowl in Europe. Swans are the largest and least common of the waterfowl. Where swans liveSwans nest along lakes and seacoasts across the northern parts of Europe, Asia, and North America. Different kinds of swans live in southern South America and in Australia. Swans migrate, or travel long distances, to escape harsh winters but are rarely seen in tropical regions. Physical featuresSwans are built for swimming and seem to glide through the water. Like the other waterfowl, they have webbed feet and a gland that oils the feathers to make them repel water. Their legs are set far back on the body. This gives the bird extra paddling power but makes it look clumsy while walking on land. Most of the swans that live north of the equator are named for their voices rather than their appearance. This is because many northern species, or types, look very much alike, with white feathers and black legs. Males and females of the same species also look alike. Two swan species are native to North America. The trumpeter swan is the largest of all the swans. It can be 5 1/2 feet (1.7 meters) long, with a wingspread of 10 feet (3 meters). It has a deep call that carries for long distances. The whistling swan is smaller than the trumpeter and much more common. It often has a yellow spot on its bill. The most common swan of Europe is the mute swan. It is also found in Asia. The mute swan is quieter than most other swans, but it is not completely mute, or voiceless. It is a heavy bird, weighing up to 50 pounds (23 kilograms). Its bill is orange-red with a black knob on the upper bill, near the eyes. Three swan species live south of the equator. The black swan of Australia is all black except for white wing tips that are visible only in flight. The black-necked swan of South America has a white body, a black neck and head, and pink legs. The coscoroba swan, also of South America, is all white with pink legs. BehaviorA swan's neck is even longer than its large body. This means that a swimming swan can pluck water plants from far below the surface. Swans do not dive for food. In addition to plants, swans eat seeds, roots, small water creatures, and fish eggs. Swans are strong flyers. Because of their heavy bodies, however, they must often run across the water surface to build up speed for takeoff. Swans fly with slow wingbeats and with the neck outstretched. When gathered together for a long-distance migration, they sometimes fly in a V-shaped formation like geese do. Life cycleSwans keep the same breeding partner each year. A male swan is called a cob, and a female is called a pen. They build a nest by piling up reeds and water plants near the water's edge. Sometimes the cob and the pen take turns keeping the eggs warm, but usually the pen will attend to the eggs while the cob stands guard. On average, a pen lays about six eggs at a time. Baby swans are known as cygnets. They are able to run, swim, and feed a few hours after hatching, but the parents continue to look after them for several months. Sometimes cygnets climb on a parent's back for a ride across the water. For the first six weeks the young birds are covered with soft feathers called down. When autumn comes, they migrate with their parents. Young swans of white species are usually darker than their parents. They do not get their adult feathers until they are at least 2 years old. Wild swans may live about 20 years. Swans kept in zoos have lived past age 30. Swans and peopleSwans have inspired legends and unusual customs for many centuries. In the myth of the swan song, a mute swan remains silent until just before it dies, when it sings a heartbreaking song. According to Hans Christian Andersen's fable of the Ugly Duckling, the best revenge on childhood enemies is to grow up to be a magnificent swan. In England, all the mute swans on the Thames River are considered to the property of the monarch or a few private owners. In a ceremony performed each year, cygnets are gathered up and “nicked” on the bill with the mark of their parents' owner. Hunted for their meat and feathers, trumpeter swans almost became extinct in the 20th century. Thanks to conservation programs, however, the bird has made a strong comeback in some areas. One conservation program begins with taking eggs from trumpeter swans in Alaska, which has a good trumpeter population. The eggs are brought to zoos to hatch, and the birds are then released into the wild. |