Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)

These conspicuous, graceful all white swans were introduced from Europe to the United States in 1910 and first detected in New Jersey in 1916. They are now very common around Cape May. Now usually considered a pest, they can be very aggressive and are believed to contribute to declines of native waterfowl. However in England where they are native, they are protected and have special status as royal property. The name "Mute Swan" is both a misnomer and an oxymoron. They are not actually mute and the name "swan" has origins in the verb to "sing." The phrase "swan song" comes from the false legend that these swans sing a beautiful final aria just before death.