From Opus

Cygnus melanocoryphus

Photo by Fritz73
Costanera Sur Ecological Reserve, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2003

[edit] Identification

Males - 115-140 cm; females - 102-124 cm

• White body
• Black neck and head
• Greyish bill
• Red knob near base of bill
• White stripe behind eye

Cygnet - Plumage light grey, bill and feet black.

[edit] Distribution

South America: found in Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Tierra del Fuego and the Falkland Islands.

[edit] Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species^[1].

[edit] Habitat

Freshwater marshes, lagoon and lake shores.

[edit] Behaviour

[edit] Breeding

The nest is a mound of vegetation. The clutch consists of four to six eggs.

[edit] Diet

The diet includes vegetation, insects and fish spawn.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
2. Avibase
3. Wikipedia

• List of references

[edit] External Links