Mute swan
Mute swan | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Anseriformes |
Family: | Anatidae |
Genus: | Cygnus |
Species: | C. olor
|
Binomial name | |
Cygnus olor (Gmelin, JF, 1789)
| |
Global map of eBird reports of this species Year-round range Summer range Winter range
| |
Synonyms | |
|
The mute swan (Cygnus olor) is a
Taxonomy
The mute swan was first formally named by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin as Anas olor in 1789 and was transferred by Johann Matthäus Bechstein to the new genus Cygnus in 1803. Both cygnus and olor mean "swan" in Latin; cygnus is a variant form of cycnus, borrowing from Greek κύκνος kyknos, a word of the same meaning.[5][6][7][8]
Despite its Eurasian origin, its closest relatives are the
Evolution
Mute swan subfossils, 6,000 years old, have been found in post-glacial peat beds of East Anglia, Great Britain.[9] They have been recorded from Ireland east to Portugal and Italy,[10] and from France, 13,000 BP (Desbrosse and Mourer-Chauvire 1972–1973). Cygnus olor bergmanni, a paleosub species which differed only in size from the living bird, is known from fossils found in Azerbaijan. A related paleospecies recorded from fossils and subfossils is the Giant swan, Cygnus falconeri, a flightless species which lived on the islands of Malta and Sicily during the Middle Pleistocene.
Fossils of swan ancestors more distantly allied to the mute swan have been found in four U.S. states:
Description
Adults of this large swan typically range from 140 to 160 cm (55 to 63 in) long, although can range in extreme cases from 125 to 170 cm (49 to 67 in), with a 200 to 240 cm (79 to 94 in) wingspan.[13][14] Males are larger than females and have a larger knob on their bill. On average, this is the second largest waterfowl species after the trumpeter swan, although male mute swans can easily match or even exceed a male trumpeter in mass.[4][15] Among standard measurements of the mute swan, the wing chord measures 53–62.3 cm (20.9–24.5 in), the tarsus is 10–11.8 cm (3.9–4.6 in) and the bill is 6.9–9 cm (2.7–3.5 in).[4] The plumage is white, while the legs are dark grey. The beak of the mute swan is bright orange, with black around the nostrils and a black nail.
The mute swan is one of the heaviest extant flying birds. In several studies from Great Britain, males (known as cobs) were found to average from about 10.6 to 11.87 kg (23.4 to 26.2 lb), with a weight range of 9.2–14.3 kg (20–32 lb) while the slightly smaller females (known as pens) averaged about 8.5 to 9.67 kg (18.7 to 21.3 lb), with a weight range of 7.6–10.6 kg (17–23 lb).[4][16][17][18][19] While the top normal weight for a big cob is roughly 15 kg (33 lb), one unusually big Polish cob weighed almost 23 kg (51 lb) and this counts as the largest weight ever verified for a flying bird, although it has been questioned whether this heavyweight could still take flight.[20]
Young birds, called cygnets, are not the bright white of mature adults, and their bill is dull greyish-black, not orange, for the first year. The down may range from pure white to grey to buff, with grey/buff the most common. The white cygnets have a
All mute swans are white at maturity, though the feathers (particularly on the head and neck) are often stained orange-brown by iron and tannins in the water.[21]
Polish swan
The colour
Behaviour
Mute swans nest on
Unlike black swans, mute swans are usually strongly territorial with just a single pair on smaller lakes, though in a few locations where a large area of suitable feeding habitat is found, they can be colonial. The largest colonies have over 100 pairs, such as at the colony at Abbotsbury Swannery in southern England, and at the southern tip of Öland Island, Ottenby Preserve, in the coastal waters of the Baltic Sea, and can have nests spaced as little as 2 m (7 ft) apart.[22][26] Non-mated juveniles up to 3–4 years old commonly form larger flocks, which can total several hundred birds, often at regular traditional sites.[27] A notable flock of non-breeding birds is found on the River Tweed estuary at Berwick-upon-Tweed in northeastern England, with a maximum count of 787 birds.[28] A large population exists near the Swan Lifeline Station in Windsor and lives on the Thames in the shadow of Windsor Castle. Once the adults are mated they seek out their territories and often live close to ducks and gulls, which may take advantage of the swan's ability to reach deep water weeds, which tend to spread out on the water surface.[citation needed]
The mute swan is less vocal than the noisy whooper and Bewick's swans; they do, however, make a variety of sounds, often described as "grunting, hoarse whistling, and snorting noises." During a courtship display, mute swans utter a rhythmic song. The song helps synchronize the movements of their heads and necks. It could technically be employed to distinguish a bonded couple from two dating swans, as the rhythm of the song typically fails to match the pace of the head movements of two dating swans.[29] Mute swans usually hiss at competitors or intruders trying to enter their territory.[30] The most familiar sound associated with mute swans is the vibrant throbbing of the wings in flight which is unique to the species and can be heard from a range of 1 to 2 km (0.6 to 1 mi), indicating its value as a contact sound between birds in flight.[22] Cygnets are especially vocal and communicate through a variety of whistling and chirping sounds when content, as well as a harsh squawking noise when distressed or lost.
Mute swans can be very aggressive in defence of their nests and are highly protective of their mate and offspring. Most defensive acts from a mute swan begin with a loud hiss and, if this is not sufficient to drive off the predator or intruder, are followed by a physical attack. Swans attack by striking at the threat with bony spurs in their wings, accompanied by biting with their large bill,[31] while smaller waterbirds such as ducks are normally grabbed with the swan's bill and dragged or thrown clear of the swan and its offspring. Swans will kill intruders into their territory, both other swans, and geese and ducks, by drowning, climbing onto and pecking the back of the head and forcing the other bird underwater.
The wings of the swan are very powerful, though not strong enough to break an adult man's leg, as is commonly misquoted.[32] Large waterfowl, such as Canada geese, (more likely out of competition than in response to potential predation) may be aggressively driven off, and mute swans regularly attack people who enter their territory.[33]
The cob is responsible for defending the cygnets while on the water, and will sometimes attack small watercraft, such as
The familiar pose with the neck curved back and wings half raised, known as busking, is a threat display. Both feet are paddled in unison during this display, resulting in more jerky movement.[40] The swans may also use the busking posture for wind-assisted transportation over several hundred meters, so-called windsurfing.[41][42]
Like other swans, mute swans are known for their ability to grieve for a lost or dead mate or cygnet.[43][44] Swans will go through a mourning process, and in the case of the loss of their mate, may either stay where their counterpart lived or fly off to join a flock.[45] Should one of the pair die while there are cygnets present, the remaining parent will take up their partner's duties in raising the clutch.
Breeding
Mute swans lay from 4 to 10 eggs. The female broods for around 36 days, with cygnets normally hatching between May and July.[46] The young swans do not achieve the ability to fly before about 120 to 150 days old. This limits the distribution of the species at the northern edge of its range as the cygnets need to learn to fly before the ponds and lakes freeze over.[citation needed]
Distribution and habitat
The mute swan is found naturally mainly in temperate areas of Europe, then across the
It is partially
The mute swan is protected in most of its range, but this has not prevented illegal hunting and poaching. It is often kept in captivity outside its natural range, as a decoration for parks and ponds, and escapes have happened. The descendants of such birds have become naturalised in the eastern United States and Great Lakes, much as the Canada goose has done in Europe.[citation needed]
World population
Native populations
The total native population of mute swans is about 500,000 birds at the end of the breeding season (adults plus young), of which up to 350,000 are in Russia.[2] The largest single breeding concentration is 11,000 pairs in the Volga Delta.[3]
The population in the United Kingdom is about 22,000 birds as of the 2006–2007 winter,[48] a slight decline from the peak of about 26,000–27,000 birds in 1990.[3] This includes about 5,300 breeding pairs, the remainder being immatures.[49] Other significant populations in Europe include 6,800–8,300 breeding pairs in Germany, 4,500 pairs in Denmark, 4,000–4,200 pairs in Poland, 3,000–4,000 pairs in the Netherlands, about 2,500 pairs in Ireland, and 1,200–1,700 pairs in Ukraine.[3]
For many centuries, mute swans in Great Britain were domesticated for food, with individuals being marked by nicks on their webs (feet) or beaks to indicate ownership. These marks were registered with the Crown and a Royal Swanherd was appointed. Any birds not so marked became Crown property, hence the swan becoming known as the "Royal Bird". This domestication saved the mute swan from extirpation through overhunting in Great Britain.[50][51]
Populations in Western Europe were largely exterminated by hunting pressure in the 13th–19th centuries, except for semi-domesticated birds maintained as poultry by large landowners. Better protection in the late 19th and early 20th centuries allowed the species to expand and return to most or all of their former range.[52][53] More recently in the period from about 1960 up to the early 1980s, numbers declined significantly again in many areas in England,[54] primarily due to lead poisoning from birds swallowing lead shots from shooting and discarded fishing weights made from lead. After lead weights and shots were mostly replaced by other less toxic alternatives, mute swan numbers increased again rapidly.[3]
Introduced populations
Since being introduced into North America, the mute swan has increased greatly in number to the extent that it is considered an invasive species there. Populations introduced into other areas remain small, with around 200 in Japan, fewer than 200 in New Zealand and Australia, and about 120 in South Africa.[2]
North America
The mute swan was introduced to North America in the late 19th century. Recently, it has been widely viewed as an
In 2003, the
The status of the mute swan as an introduced species in North America is disputed by the
Oceania
The mute swan had absolute protection in New Zealand under the Wildlife Act 1953, but this was changed in June 2010 to a lower level of protection. It still has protection, but is now allowed to be killed or held in captivity at the discretion of the Minister of Conservation.[61]
A small feral population exists in the vicinity of Perth, Australia; however, it is believed to number less than 100 individuals.[2]
In popular culture
The mute swan has been the
The fairy tale "The Ugly Duckling" by Hans Christian Andersen tells the story of a cygnet ostracised by his fellow barnyard fowl because of his perceived unattractiveness. To his delight (and to the surprise of others), he matures into a graceful swan, the most beautiful bird of all.[62]
Today, the
The mute swans in the moat at the Bishops Palace at Wells Cathedral in Wells, England have for centuries been trained to ring bells via strings attached to them to beg for food. Two swans are still able to ring for lunch.[65]
The pair of swans in the Boston Public Garden are named Romeo and Juliet after the Shakespearean couple; however, it was found that both of them are females.[66]
Gallery
-
Mute swan guarding its cygnets (the latter are out of the picture)
-
Finding food underwater
-
Mute swan in flight
-
Flock in flight
-
Landing on water
-
Mute swan egg
-
1956 Finnish stamp with a mute swan
-
Head profile
-
Four mute swans along the bank of the Etobicoke Creek
-
Family of mute swans on a small lake in southern Michigan, U.S.
-
Mute swans in Koutavos Lagoon, Cephalonia, Greece
-
Mute swans on Lake Orongoi, Buryatia
-
Mute swans on a field by the Vistula River in southern Poland
-
Mute swan and cygnets on aduckweed-covered pond in New York City
-
Mute swans take off
-
A pair of mute swans grooming
-
Mute swan, Connecticut, December 2023
See also
- Swan Upping
- The Bird of Peace (statue)
References
- . Retrieved 20 February 2022.
- ^ ISBN 978-84-87334-10-8.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-19-854099-1.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-7470-2201-5.
- Perseus Project.
- Perseus Project.
- ISBN 978-0-304-52257-6.
- ^ Harper, Douglas. "cygnet". Online Etymology Dictionary.
- .
- ISBN 978-0300019025.
- ^ ISBN 9780932653505.
- ^ The Waterfowl of the World. pp. 262–265.
- ISBN 978-0-395-46726-8
- ^ Mullarney, K., Svensson, L, Zetterstrom, D., & Grant, P.J. (1999) Collins Bird Guide. HarperCollins Publishers Ltd., London p. 14
- ISBN 978-84-87334-10-8
- ISBN 978-0-8493-4258-5.
- ^ Sears, J. (1989). Feeding activity and body condition of mute swans Cygnus olor in rural and urban areas of a lowland river system. Wildfowl, 40(40), 88–98.
- ^ Reynolds, C. M. (1972). Mute Swan weights in relation to breeding. Wildfowl, 23(23), 8.
- ^ Bacon, P. J., & Coleman, A. E. (1986). An analysis of weight changes in the Mute Swan Cygnus olor. Bird Study, 33(3), 145–158.
- ISBN 978-0-85112-235-9.
- ^ "The Mute Swan | Birds of Eden". Birds of Eden. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-19-857358-6.
- ^ a b Taylor, Moss (January 2018). "The Polish swan in Britain & Ireland". British Birds. 111 (1): 10–24.
- .
- ^ "Cygnus olor (Mute swan)". Animal Diversity Web.
- ^ Hogan, C. M. (2006). Environmental Database for Oland, Sweden. Lumina Press.
- ^ Scott, P.; Wildfowl Trust (1972). Behavioral patterns of juvenile Mute Swans.
- ^ "The Berwick Swan and Wildlife Trust". Archived from the original on 31 August 2009.
- ISBN 978-1-7365193-0-1.)
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link - ^ "Mute Swan". allaboutbirds.org. Retrieved 29 April 2016.
- ^ "Queen asked to intervene after violent swan unleashes campaign of carnage on an English lake". Animalogic.ca. 22 July 2016.
- ^ "Who, What, Why: How dangerous are swans?". BBC News. 17 April 2012.
- ^ a b "Mute Swan". New York Department of Environmental Conservation. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
- ^ "ADW: Cygnus olor: INFORMATION". Animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
- ^ Whitehurst, David K. "Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries." (2012).
- ISBN 978-0-30017-019-1.
- ^ "Protection of swans from attack by dangerous/uncontrolled dogs? – a Freedom of Information request to Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs". 17 March 2013.
- ^ "Swan beats dog to death in park pond". Metro. 2 July 2019. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
- ^ "Two dogs killed in swan attacks". 25 May 2004. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
- ^ "Topic: Busking". Bird On! Bird Care. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
- ISSN 1559-4491.
- ^ "Windsurfing Mute Swan". YouTube.
- ^ Wedderburn, Pete (3 September 2015). "Animals grieve just as people do". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
- ^ "Lonely Irish swan 'hugs' cars after its mate was killed". IrishCentral.com. 22 October 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
- ^ "The care and treatment of swans and waterfowl with an established worldwide reputation". The Swan Sanctuary. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
- ^ "Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)". The Swan Sanctuary. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
- ^ Dement'ev, G. P.; Gladkov, N. A. (1967). Birds of the Soviet Union. Vol. IV. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Translation.
- ISBN 978-1-906204-33-4.
- ^ Baker, Helen; Stroud, David A.; Aebischer, Nicholas J.; Cranswick, Peter A.; Gregory, Richard D.; McSorley, Claire A.; Noble, David G.; Rehfisch, Mark M. (January 2006). "Population estimates of birds in Great Britain and the United Kingdom" (PDF). British Birds. 99: 25–44.
- ^ "About Mute Swans". northwestswanstudy.org.uk. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
- ^ "Swan Upping on the River Thames – History by The Royal Windsor Web Site". thamesweb.co.uk.
- ^ Ticehurst, N. E. (1957). The Mute Swan in England. London: Cleaver-Hume Press.
- ISBN 978-0-85661-094-3.
- ^ Jane Sears; Alan Hunt. "Lead Poisoning in Mute Swans". Retrieved 19 July 2018.
- ^ Petrie, Scott A.; Francis, Charles M. (2010). "Rapid increase in the lower Great Lakes population of feral mute swans: a review and a recommendation". Wildlife Society Bulletin. 31 (2): 407.
- S2CID 86133818.
- ^ Williams, Steve. "Finding of No Significant Impact and Final Environmental Assessment for the Management of Mute Swans in the Atlantic Flyway" (PDF). Federal Register. 68 (152): 47085.
- ^ a b "Final List of Bird Species to Which the Migratory Bird Treaty Act Does Not Apply" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 July 2011.
- ^ "Bird lovers, Conn. are at odds on swans". Boston Globe. 24 December 2007. Retrieved 7 April 2009.
- ^ "Mute Swan Advocacy". Mute Swan Advocacy. Archived from the original on 24 August 2011. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
- ^ "Protection status changes to Wildlife Act". New Zealand Government. 10 June 2010.[permanent dead link]
- ^ a b "The mute swan". Kongeåen. Retrieved 29 October 2022.
- ^ British Monarchy website regarding swan upping and the Crown's ownership of Mute Swans.
- ^ Victor, Daniel (15 September 2022). "Britain Has a New King. The Swans Have a New Owner". The New York Times. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
Three companies are still permitted by the monarchy to own swans: The Abbotsbury Swannery, The Vintners Company and The Dyers' Company.
- ^ "Swan Watch: The Bishop's Swans". Archived from the original on 29 March 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
- ^ Slack, Donovan (12 August 2005). "Thou art no Romeo". Boston Globe. Retrieved 26 December 2009.
External links
- Mute swan media from ARKive
- "Mute swan media". Internet Bird Collection.
- mtDNA Mute Swan video The mitochondrial DNA sequence of 'Cygnus olor' translated into music.
- Mute swan photo gallery at VIREO (Drexel University)