Cygnus olor
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Mass
~10 kg
Habitat
Wetlands and marshes
Diet
Aquatic plants
How to recognize it
The Mute Swan has a calm, heavy look, with a long neck and a smooth, low ride on the water. What stays in memory most is the pale shape and the dark knob at the base of the bill.
It is usually quiet, but when disturbed it can turn sharp fast and hiss. While swimming, it often curves its neck into an S and lifts its wings slightly, which gives it a very composed outline.
It favors waterweed-choked lakes, estuaries, and marshes. It feeds on aquatic plants and small water animals, and on land it takes grass and grains. In many places it lives close to people and is often kept in city parks and gardens.
Quick Facts
Listen to the call
The Mute Swan has a calm, heavy look, with a long neck and a smooth, low ride on the water. What stays in memory most is the pale shape and the dark knob at the base of the bill.
It is usually quiet, but when disturbed it can turn sharp fast and hiss. While swimming, it often curves its neck into an S and lifts its wings slightly, which gives it a very composed outline.
It favors waterweed-choked lakes, estuaries, and marshes. It feeds on aquatic plants and small water animals, and on land it takes grass and grains. In many places it lives close to people and is often kept in city parks and gardens.
