The Mute Swan
The Mute Swan was first introduced in the United States as an ornamental bird in the 19th century. Since then their population has exploded. The aggressive Mute Swan is crowding out native species and stripping rivers and lakes of its foliage disrupting the natural food chain. Methods of controlling the growth and decreasing their numbers are being considered.
Grace and Beauty Defined
Description
The Mute Swan is a large swan ranging from 49 to 67 inches in length with a wingspan of 6 to 8 feet. Standing, they are close to 4 feet tall. They are one of the heaviest flying birds in existence with the cob (male) weighing close to 27 pounds and the pen (female) a plump 19 pounds.Mute Swans are beautiful birds with all white plumage and a bright orange bill. They have distinctive black knobs above the bill, and their necks are long and curved in the classic "S" shape. Juveniles can be distinguished by their grayish bill and their plumage is not as vibrant.
Mute Swans
Swan family at Pagha...
Odd One Out?
Cygnets on Surrey Wa...
Juvenile Mute Swan
Mute Swan
Mute swan Cygnet
Parent and Child
Mute Swan
Mute Swan
Cygnus olor,Mute swa...
Range and Habitat
The Mute Swan's natural habitat is the temperate areas of Europe and Asia. It is a migratory bird nesting in the northern areas and moving southward in the winter. In the 1800's it was brought to North America and released in parks and some of the larger estates. Today the Mute Swan can be found throughout North America. The Mute Swan
Mating and Nesting
The assumption that the Mute Swan mates for life is incorrect. If a mate is lost, it will join with another or even abandon its mate in favor of another. However, it has been determined that the established pairs are the most successful breeders.They rarely nest in colonies. When breeding begins, they will build their nest on top of a mound. If they can find a muskrat mound, they will build their nest on top of it. If none is available, they will make a pile of vegetation and build their nest on top of it. The nest is usually lined with feathers and down, and well above the water level.
The pen will lay a clutch of 5 to 12 pale gray eggs and are incubated for 36 to 38 days. Parental responsibilities are shared and when the first eggs hatch, the cob will take the hatchlings to the water while the pen continues to incubate the remaining eggs.
The young are unable to fly for the first 2 months of their life and remain close to their parents. The family unit will usually stay together until the following breeding season. At that point the mated pair will drive the young adults away. The non-breeding cygnets usually join flocks of other non-breeding swans. It will be another 2 years before the cygnet finally bond with a mate and start the process all over again.
Did You Know?
Mute Swans are aggressive birds. They will chase other water birds such as the Loon and Trumpeter Swans away from prime nesting sites. With no place to nest, they often loose an entire breeding season.
Know your Swans
Swan Keeper's Handbook: A Guide to the Care of Captive Swans
Amazon Price: $40.47 (as of 10/13/2008)
The Mute Swan (Shire Natural History)
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The Mute Swan (Helm Field Guides)
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Diet
The Mute Swan feeds on aquatic vegetation. Using their long necks to expand their reach, they tear the plants from the bottom of lakes, rivers, and streams. While they usually feed on aquatic plants, they are also excellent insectivores snatching small insects from the air and the surface of the water. Do You Know?
A single Mute Swan can uproot up to 20 pounds of aquatic plants in a day.
Tight Knit Family Unit---For Awhile Anyway
Voice
Contrary to popular belief, the Mute Swan is not mute. They will grunt and snort, and occasionally whistle. Their voice is a far cry from the melodious calls of the Trumpeter and Tundra Swans. Do You Know?
When flocks of Mute Swans are spotted, it's a good bet they are predominately juveniles. Mated pairs rarely flock with other Mute Swans, but will happily coexist with gulls, geese, and ducks.
Conservation Status
The Mute Swan's numbers fluctuate. Many are lost due to pollution, loss of habitat, and variable weather conditions. They are not native to North America but have taken over many of the breeding grounds once controlled by the Trumpeter and Tundra Swan. The Mute Swan is larger and far more aggressive.In some areas of the country, the population of Mute Swans has exploded. While in others the populations have dipped dangerously low. Some states have introduced efforts to limit their population growth, even reduce their numbers while other states have classified it as endangered. One thing they have all agreed upon, the Mute Swan is a problem. How it will be resolved, only time will tell.
Back off!
Bird Conservation
South Carolina Birder
South Carolina Birder offers information on wild birds as well as an insight into birding in South Carolina.
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byJohn James Audubon
Audubon's masterpieces: 150 prints from the Birds of America
Amazon Price: (as of 10/13/2008)
John James Audubon spent a lifetime cataloging the behavior of, and drawing the birds of North America. Audubon's Masterpieces is a collection of 150 of his best works.
Lizzy's Lenses
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Busy Lizzy's Aquatic Birds
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Aquatic birds live on or near bodies of water. They acquire their food from the water, the shorelines, or animals within the same region. They include seabirds, such as gulls, pelicans, albatrosses, and ducks, swans and geese.
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Busy Lizzy's Birds of Prey
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Birds of Prey or Raptors are birds that usually hunt on the wing. They use their keen sense of sight to spot prey, swoop down, and capture it. They usually have large, powerful beaks and talons for tearing and piercing the flesh of their prey.
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Busy Lizzy's Backyard Birds
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As we go through life, some sights and events have a profound impact on our lives, while others flitter past unnoticed. Some passions can be traced back to that single pivotal point while others grow seemingly unnoticed for years. I am a morning pers...
Have you seen any interesting birds lately?
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JaguarJulie
This swan looks like the swan that we spotted in Lake Balaton in Hungary. When I tried to snap my picture, the sun was not in a favorable position so there was a lot of glare. Posted October 11, 2008 |
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LaraineRose
What a beautiful lens. You really have arranged it in such pleasing way. Very enjoyable to read. Posted October 06, 2008 |
Great gift Ideas
Resources used to construct this page.
Peterson, T.P. & Peterson, V.M. 2002. Birds of Eastern and Central North America, Fifth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, N.Y.
The Mute Swan
The Wildlife Trust
