From Opus

Photo by Marc Delsalle
Location: Merkem, Belgium

Cygnus cygnus

[edit] Identification

140-160cm. White body, long thin neck, black legs, black bill with large triangular yellow patch.

[edit] Distribution

Breeds in Iceland, in small numbers in coastal north Norway, in north-central and sparsely in south-central Sweden, north and east Finland and across Arctic Russia. In recent decades has begun to breed in Poland and an occasional breeder in Estonia, Latvia, Belarus and Scotland. The very small numbers breeding in Scotland (and occasionally Northern Ireland) may involve injured birds that have been prevented from migrating.

Icelandic birds are only partially migratory with some birds wintering, particularly in the west. The remainder winter in Scotland and Ireland. The small numbers that winter in south and east England probably originate from the Continental breeding populations which winter from coastal north Norway to the Baltic and east to north-east France, in parts of Central Europe and around the eastern Mediterranean, Black and Caspian Seas. Leave breeding grounds mid September-October and begin return movement in March-April, arriving in May.

[edit] Vagrancy

Wanders widely in severe winters and can turn up almost anywhere in Europe. Vagrant north to Svalbard and south to Israel and North Africa.

[edit] Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species.¹

[edit] Habitat

Breeds on lakes and pools in forest or on tundra, sometimes in river deltas, estuaries and sheltered sea inlets. In winter found in coastal areas or lakes and large rivers, often grazing in fields.

[edit] Behaviour

[edit] Nesting

Both sexes build the nest. 4-7 eggs are laid and incubated by the female for about 36 days. The cygnets can fly at an age of 120 to 150 days.

[edit] Diet

The diet includes aquatic plants, grass, and grain.

[edit] Vocalisation

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist.

[edit] External Links