| Mute Swan: |
Scientific name: Cygnus olor
Registered by Gmelin in 1789.
No subspecies recognized. |
| Distribution: |
Europe and Asia. Introduced in North America, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Japan; in some places colonies are established. |
| Flight: |
Strong, capable of long journeys. |
| Status: |
Common. |
| Movements: |
Some populations are migratory, others are sedentary. |
| Habitat: |
Lakes and rivers with growing grasses on the sides. Brackish water. Protected sea coasts, sea. |
| Behavior: |
Sociable when not breeding. Territorial during breeding. |
| Pairs: |
For life. Some do “divorce”. Widowers could form new pairs, some by the next year. |
| Nesting: |
Colonies well spread out, or solitary.
Usually once a year. |
| Nesting Season: |
Spring, northern hemisphere. |
| Nest: |
Small floating islands, on land close by the water.
Made from grass and small branches.
Can reach two meters wide (more than six feet). |
| Clutch: |
From one to eleven eggs, usually somewhere in between. |
| Eggs: |
Greenish blue.
Length: 97 to 124 by 69 to 80 mm - average 114 X 73 mm.
Weight: 258 to 500+ grams - average 340 grams.
Volume: 187 to 469 cubic cm - average 321.1 cubic cm. |
| Incubation: |
35 to 38 days, could be up to 41 days.
Done by the female - is possible that the male helps incubate.
Male remains by the nest. |
| Cygnets: |
Born with white feathers.
Next day after hatching weight from 180 to 248 grams. |
| Adulthood: |
From four to five years of age. |
| Food: |
Aquatic plants and algae. Could be complemented with small animals. |
| Description: |
Sexes are alike except for males are bigger (on average but there is overlap in the measurements) and having the black thickening on the beak larger. |
| Plumage: |
White. |
| Dimensions: |
Length: Males: average 1.53 meters (about 5 feet).
Females: average 1.27 meters (about 4 feet). |
| Weight: |
Male: 8.4 to 15.0 Kg. (18.5 to 33 pounds), average of 10.5 to 11 Kg. (23 to 25 pounds).
Female: 6.6 to 12.0 Kg. (14.5 to 26 pounds), average of 8.4 to 9.5 Kg. (18.5 to 21 pounds). |
| Wing: |
Males: 589 a 623 mm.
Females: 533 a 596 mm. |
| Head: |
Small in proportion to the body. Covered with feathers, except between the eyes and the beak. |
| Beak: |
Medium size in proportion to the head.
Males: 76 to 88 mm. - Females: 69 to 80 mm.
Wide and flattened.
Nostrils at the middle.
A black thickening grows on top. |
| Neck: |
Long. Covered with feathers. |
| Legs: |
Short. Dark gray. |
| Molt: |
Once a year.
From four to six weeks are not able to fly.
Summer to the end of the breeding season. (at least in some places: May to October, peak in July).
Not all molt at the same time. |
| Other names: |
| English: | “White Swan” |
| Spanish: | “Cisne Vulgar”, “Cisne Común”, “Cisne Mudo” and “Cisne Blanco” |
| French: | “Cygne muet” and “Cygne tuberculé” |
| German: | “Höckerschwan” |
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