Swan
Fluffy, Elegant & Dangerous
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Swans are birds of the family Anatidae within the genus Cygnus.The swans' closest relatives include the geese and ducks. Swans usually mate for life, although divorce sometimes occurs, particularly following nesting failure, and if a mate dies, the remaining swan
will take up with another. The number of eggs in each clutch ranges from three to eight.
Swans are the largest extant members of the waterfowl family Anatidae, and are among the largest flying birds. The largest species, including the mute swan, trumpeter swan , and whooper swan, can reach a length of over 1.5 m (59 in)
and weigh over 15 kg (33 lb). Their wingspans can be over 3.1 m (10 ft). Compared to the closely related geese, they are much larger and have proportionally larger feet and necks. Quite unusual for birds, swans have "teeth" - jagged parts of their bill that are used for
catching and eating fish. Adults also have a patch of unfeathered skin between the eyes and bill. The sexes are alike in plumage, but males are generally bigger and heavier than females.
The Northern Hemisphere species of swan have pure white plumage, but the Southern Hemisphere
species are mixed black and white. The Australian black swan (Cygnus atratus) is completely black except for the white flight feathers on its wings; the chicks of black swans are light grey. The South American black-necked swan has a white body with a black
neck.
Swans' legs are normally a dark blackish grey colour, except for the South American black-necked swan, which has pink legs. Bill colour varies: the four subarctic species have black bills with varying amounts of yellow, and all the others are
patterned red and black. Although birds do not have teeth, swans have beaks with serrated edges that look like small jagged 'teeth' as part of their beaks used for catching and eating aquatic plants and algae, but also molluscs, small fish, frogs, and worms.
The mute swan and black-necked swan have lumps at the base of their bills on the upper mandible.
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I have a strange passion for birds. Maybe their songs, maybe because they can fly, or perhaps their movements or how they take care of their chicks. But I always had passion for swans. When I was a little girl I did Ballet (that is another passion of mine) so I learned at a younger age the movements and elegance of the swans. It wasn't until I grew up that I saw my first real live swan and I was shocked by their beauty.
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