Mute swan: description, habitat and photo. Various types (breeds) of swans
These majestic and proud birds have long been a symbol of love and fidelity. Swans are characters in many fairy tales, legends, films, cartoons and literary works. An unimpressive-looking swan cub eventually grows into a regal beauty. From the article you will learn where swans live, what are the features of their appearance, get acquainted with the species of birds and interesting facts of their life.
In England it has long been considered the royal bird. The swan is the largest waterfowl. Its name is associated with the ancient meanings of the words “brilliant”, “sparkling”. These beautiful birds can often be found in the northern hemisphere. They often prefer to live on continents such as New Zealand, South America, and Australia.
Their distribution throughout Russia covers tundra forest zones - from the Kola Peninsula to the Crimea, from the territory of Kamchatka to Central Asia. Mute swan, tundra swan and whooper swan live here. Under natural conditions, such birds settle in reservoirs overgrown with reeds and reeds. With the arrival of cold weather, they go to warm countries for the winter, and return to their native lands in the spring. The female builds a nest in the thickets. Chicks appear in mid-summer. They are already covered with feathers and can get their own food. The female stays with them for 6 months.
The two main elements of a bird are water and air. The speed of a swan in flight can be up to 80 km per hour. Well-developed muscles allow it to fly 1000 km or more. Thanks to their special plumage, these majestic birds rise up to 8000 meters. A flock of white swans flying in the sky always attracts attention and pleases the eye.
There are southern - sedentary, and northern - migratory species of swans. Eurasians prefer to winter in Central and South Asia and the Mediterranean. American ones go to the California coast and Florida. They choose a place to live near water and away from people. But if you feed them and show care, they are able to live not far from a person and maintain normal relationships with him.
What does it look like
Experts classified the swan as a member of the duck family and the order called Anseriformes. The male and female of such unusual birds do not differ much in terms of appearance.
The white swan has an impressive body size; its live weight ranges from 10 to 13 kg. It has an elongated body, up to 170 cm in length, and an elegant long neck, which allows it to obtain food from the very bottom of the reservoir. The wingspan is 2 meters. Depending on which of the 7 species they belong to, the parameters of swans vary: body length ranges from 1.2 - 1.8 m, wingspan - from 2 to 2.4 m, and weight - from 5 - 6 to 8 – 12 kg.
The bird's paws are dark, almost black, and are tilted back. They are quite short and have swim membranes, which make the bird's gait look awkward.
The coccygeal gland is located above the bird's short tail. It secretes fat to lubricate the feathers, which allows the swan to stay in the water for a long time without getting wet. Due to this fat, thermoregulation also increases.
The bird's beak is colored gray or black and yellow. In chicks, the beak is pink and the tip is black. In many species, the beak has a knobby seal at the base.
A special feature of mute swans is their red beak. When swimming, the neck of such a handsome creature is stretched vertically, and the head and beak are directed forward. It assumes a pose in the water with its neck bent in an S-shape. At the same time, their beak is lowered down and their wings are raised.
The plumage of swans comes in three colors, depending on the species - bright white, gray and bluish-blackish. The black swan has white wing feathers and a dark neck against the general background of its plumage. The feathers are thick and lush thanks to the well-developed downy layer.
Legends are made about the relationship of these birds and their loyalty to their partner until the end of their lives. Scientists claim that these birds are monogamous and remain in pairs until the death of the companion. But when this happens, they are not left alone, but create a new couple in which a wonderful relationship reigns again.
The bird's plumage is very thick - there are about 25 thousand feathers on its body. This is a kind of record - a swan, losing a large amount of feather cover during the molting period, even temporarily loses the ability to fly.
The chick of both white and black swan is born with a body covered with gray down, which acquires a certain color a little later. Snow-white feathers traditionally appear in the third year of life.
The colors of swans largely depend on climatic conditions. If they live in the southern regions, the color will be darker, and if in the northern regions, the color will be lighter.
Black swans, as evidenced by ornithologists' notes, have same-sex marriages in which the female is needed only for bearing eggs. Then she is kicked out, and the males take over the hatching and raising of the offspring.
Swans are record holders in terms of flight altitude. At the end of the 60s, pilots managed to see several mute swans in the sky at an altitude of over 8200 meters. Radar helped record this amazing indicator. The birds were able to rise so high thanks to the feather cover that perfectly warms their body.
Kinds
The following types of swans are known:
- black;
- American;
- mute;
- whooper;
- black-necked;
- small;
- trumpeter.
The black species is found on the Australian continent, namely in its southwestern part. In nature reserves, the black swan lives in North America and New Zealand. This bird makes nests in river mouths and swamps. It is also found in zoos in many countries. Such a swan, unfortunately, is not listed in the Red Book, although its numbers are not that great. Both females and males have dark plumage and a red beak. The live weight of adult individuals is up to 9 kg, and the body length reaches 142 cm. Life expectancy in the natural environment is up to 10 years.
The black-necked species has a dark neck, in contrast to the snow-white body color. It has a gray beak with a growth. Weighs no more than 6.5 kg, body length - 140 cm. Lives in reeds and on islands. In natural conditions it lives up to 10 years, in captivity – up to 30 years. Adults often carry their offspring on their backs.
The mute swan has a live weight of up to 15 kg in park conditions, but in nature it weighs no more than 13 kg. Its wingspan reaches 2.5 meters. A snow-white body, an ocher head, a red beak, dark paws - it’s hard not to notice such a handsome man. At first, babies have brown feathers, which change by the age of 3. The mute mute is characterized by an S-shaped neck curve.
The whooper swan weighs about 12 kg. The body length is no less than 155 cm. The wingspan reaches 2.4 meters. A special feature of the bird is its lemon-colored beak with a dark ending. Juveniles have gray plumage and a dark head; adults have a snow-white body. In captivity, life expectancy is 30 years. The male remains faithful to the female even after her death. Keeps neck straight when swimming.
The trumpeter is in many ways similar to the whooper, if we take the description of external data, but has a completely dark beak color. His feathers are snow-white. Weighs up to 13 kg, body length is about 180 cm. The breeding season of trumpeters falls at the end of spring. The female lays up to 9 eggs and incubates them for 1 month. In natural conditions, trumpeters live no more than 10 years, in captivity - up to 30 years.
The American swan is recognized by experts as the smallest representative of this species. Weighs up to 10 kg, the body does not exceed 146 cm in length. It has a shorter neck than that of the whooper, and a rounded head. The beak is yellow with dark spots. To build a nest, it selects mossy areas of the tundra and the edges of water bodies. In captivity, it can live up to 29 years.
In its external features, the small swan is a bit like a whooper. It has a body length of up to 140 cm. The wingspan is fixed at 200 – 210 cm. It has a small yellow-black beak. It is distinguished by a characteristic pattern on its beak. Lives in Russia, in particular on the Kola Peninsula and Chukotka. In captivity it can live up to 20 years.
Video “How swans take off”
Watch this incredible spectacle when swans, resting on the water, fly into the air one after another.
Swans are rightfully considered the most beautiful birds, not only among waterfowl, but also among all others. These truly regal birds with snow-white plumage and a gracefully curved long neck are indispensable heroes of epics, fairy tales and songs. And ancient astronomers, fascinated by the beauty of this bird, gave one of the constellations the name Cygnus.
In early spring, when water bodies are just beginning to become free of ice, swans return to their homeland from warm countries. Their appearance is accompanied by loud, trumpet sounds, with which the white handsome men talk to each other. Swans are waterfowl, they settle where there are lakes and swamps, and make their nests on islands, away from people and predatory animals.
Among waterfowl, swans are the largest. Their wingspan reaches two meters, and their weight can reach up to fifteen kilograms. But, despite such a large weight, swans stay in the air very well and can fly thousands of kilometers during seasonal migrations.
These royal birds usually feed on herbaceous plants, which they forage both on land and in water. Their long neck helps them reach food from the bottom of reservoirs. In addition to various grasses, swans also eat insect larvae, as well as small crustaceans and mollusks.
In family life, swans are constancy. Once formed, a couple never separates. Swans remember their nests well, which they use for several seasons in a row. Every year they improve and build on their home, which can reach two meters in diameter.
During the nesting period, only the female incubates the eggs, and the male serves as a guard. If any predator manages to get close to the nest, the swans bravely rush at it and beat it with their wide and strong wings.
Swans feed while hatching chicks away from the nest. Arriving at the lake, where they meet other swans, the snow-white birds always perform a greeting ritual. They swim along the water surface, flapping their wings noisily and screaming loudly. Then the swans move, beautifully arching their long necks. Swan dancing on the water leaves an unforgettable impression.
About forty days after the start of incubation, chicks covered with gray down appear in the nest. The chick does not look at all like its snow-white parents, but really resembles the ugly duckling from Andersen's famous fairy tale.
When the chicks grow up, the parents begin to molt. Their beautiful feathers fall out and the birds lose their ability to fly. During this period, swans are especially careful and timid.
In late autumn, when the first snow falls on the ground, swans gather in flocks and fly away in a beautiful wedge to warm countries until next spring.
All species of swans are listed in the Red Book and hunting these majestic birds is strictly prohibited.
There are many legends about swans associated with their greatness, love of freedom and loyalty. Which of these commonly held beliefs is true and which is fiction? After reading this article you can learn the real facts from the life of this majestic bird. And also how to distinguish a goose from a swan, how much a swan weighs, how many years these birds live, what is the difference between a whooper swan and a trumpeter, their differences from a mute swan, how swans sleep, interesting facts about swans and other information.
Classification
Animal or bird
The swan is a migratory waterfowl.
According to the scientific classification, these birds belong to:
- Kingdom - Animals.
- Tipu - Chordata.
- Subphylum Vertebrates.
- Class - Birds.
- Superorder - New palatines.
- Order - Anseriformes.
- Family - Ducks.
- Subfamily - Goose.
- Rodu - Swans.
How is a goose different from a swan?
These birds belong to the same order of birds, but they are very different:
- Appearance. The swan is more graceful and majestic than the goose, the contours of its body are curved.
- Neck length. The swan's neck is longer and more graceful. This is caused by natural necessity - a goose can find food on land, a swan is more strongly attached to a body of water.
- Dimensions. The goose is much smaller. Even a medium-sized swan with its enormous wingspan is a giant compared to a goose.
- Taming. Geese are more suitable for keeping at home, and their relatives are freedom-loving birds.
- Sounds. Each bird makes its own unique sounds.
- Reproduction. Swans are monogamous animals, they are very attached to their mates. Geese are polygamous and create a new family every season.
Description of the species
External characteristics include:
- length – from 1 to 2 meters;
- wingspan - from 2 to 2.5 meters;
- weight – from 5 to 12 kg;
- physique - large, dense with a small head;
- neck - thin, long, curved or straight;
- wings – wide;
- paws - short black, for convenience when moving through the water, the paws are placed not in the center, but closer to the tail, there are swimming membranes;
- beak – wide, flat; black, yellow or red;
- the tail is short, above it is the coccygeal gland, which secretes fat, which the swan
- lubricates feathers so they don't get wet;
- feather cover - thick, voluminous with a developed down layer, the feathers are soft;
- color - plain white or black.
What sounds do birds make?
Based on the nature of the sounds they make, birds are divided into three types:
- The whooper swan with its ringing loud cry. In nature, you can hear its cry during the mating season. The rest of the time, the birds are silent, only giving a sign of alarm when danger approaches. This bird is distinguished by its lemon-colored beak with a black tip.
- A trumpeter swan whose cry resembles the sound of a trumpet. The color of its beak is different from other bird species - it is completely black.
- The mute swan cannot scream, but can hiss threateningly at the enemy. The beak of these birds is red with a marigold.
Habitat
Birds live in the coastal part of the Caspian Sea, along the shores of reservoirs in India and the Mediterranean, on the California coast and in Florida. For settlement, they can choose either a small river or a sea lagoon. Based on their distribution areas, two types of birds are distinguished:
- Northern - settles in the tundra and northern forests. These are migratory birds.
- Southern - prefers lakes and swamps of the tropical zone. The lifestyle of this bird is sedentary.
Wild Lifestyle
Swan loyalty and relationships within the flock
Swans in nature live in pairs. Throughout their lives, the couple remains faithful to each other.
There are legends that a bird that has lost its soul mate commits suicide. In fact, in the event of the early death of the “spouse” or “wife,” the widowed bird can create a new family.
Each family has its own territory, which the birds protect from the invasion of neighbors. During mass nesting, pairs are calmer towards their neighbors and place their nests more densely. The nest is a huge structure (a pile up to 800 cm high) made of reed stems and grass.
Birds are “taciturn”, behave leisurely, and have a calm character.
In case of danger, they defend themselves by biting and flapping their powerful wings, the impact of which can cause serious injury to the opponent.
Flights
During flight, migratory birds create a wedge, which is headed by the strongest individual. He sets the pace for the rest of the pack, and the aerodynamic flows that the leader creates make it easier for his relatives to fly. Over long distances, the leader is replaced by another swan.
Taking off and landing is not easy for birds. In order to gain height, swans flap their wings for a long time. They always sit on the water, and slow down by moving their paws over the surface of the reservoir.
Nutrition
The basis of the diet of a wild swan is the seeds and roots of aquatic plants. Birds may also eat:
- grass;
- worms;
- crustaceans;
- shellfish;
- insects and their larvae;
- shells;
- small fish;
- snails;
- caviar;
- small amphibians;
- willow branches;
- grain crops (millet, corn, cereals).
Search for food at the bottom
To get food, birds can plunge their heads deep into the water or find food near the shore.
An adult bird can eat up to 5 kg of food per day.
Reproduction
For northern swans, the mating season begins in March-April, after they have flown to a new place. In southern birds, mating games occur during the rainy season. To attract a female, the male raises his wings and nods his head. Males usually do not start fights, but they will defend their mate and territory to the last. By blocking the path of an opponent, the male is able to pursue the offender at a distance of up to 20 m.
One swan clutch can contain from 3 to 7 greenish or brown eggs; the incubation period lasts on average 35 days. The chicks of swans of all species that are born have gray plumage.
How long do swans live
In the bird's natural environment, the average lifespan of a swan is 30 years. In domestic conditions, which are significantly different from the wild, there is no harsh climate, there is always high-quality food, there are no threats in the form of large predators and other threatening factors, swans can live much longer.
There are cases when they lived up to 70 years in captivity.
How birds sleep
For safety reasons, the bird sleeps right on the water. With her head bowed and her beak buried under her wing, she can sleep while continuing to swim slowly.
Waterfowl prefer to hide in thickets of willow, reeds or reeds on the shore. In special reserves and parks, floating houses are installed for birds to relax.
Swan in heraldry
The swan as a symbol of wisdom, beauty and greatness, nobility, fidelity and purity is common in tribal and territorial heraldry.
List of some countries and localities that have a swan on their coat of arms:
- Dolgoprudny (Russia);
- Svetlinsky village council (Orenburg region);
- Vosyakhovskoe municipal district (Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug);
- Eravninsky district (Buryatia);
- Kobyaisky ulus (Yakutia);
- Namsky ulus (Yakutia);
- Kopkulskoe rural settlement (Novosibirsk region);
- Lebyazhyevsky district (Kurgan region);
- Lakhdenpokhsky district (Republic of Karelia);
- Lebyazhsky district (Kirov region);
- Chanovsky district (Novosibirsk).
- Udmurt republic;
- Miora (Belarus);
- Denmark (on the country's coat of arms);
- municipality of Le Blanc (France);
- Borsfleth commune (Germany);
- Department of Tolima (Colombia).
What gender does the word swan belong to?
At the moment, the word “swan” refers to the masculine gender. Previously, it was classified as feminine. The word is still used in this meaning in fiction: “Look, a white swan is swimming on top of the flowing waters.”
What are the names of the female and the chick?
When it is necessary to name a female individual, it is customary to use the word “swan”. There are other less popular names:
- quinoa;
- winch.
The chick can be called like this:
- swan chick;
- swan;
- swan (colloquial)
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex couples are common among birds. Males of the black species can only attract a female to lay eggs, after which she is expelled from the nest. Both males incubate the eggs and raise the children. Such pairs make up up to 25% of all pairs in black swans.
The swan is a waterfowl, another representative of the Anseriformes order of the Anatidae family. It is distinguished by its long lifespan, tendency to form an inseparable pair, and intelligence. Due to its noble appearance, the swan is considered a majestic and aesthetically attractive bird, personifying elegance, grace, and fidelity. Almost all swan species are listed in the Red Book.
Description of swans
Despite the fact that there are several types of swans with unique sizes and plumage colors, it is still possible to deduce their common external signs and characteristics. Thus, these are the largest birds. Their color can vary from white to black. There are also swans with a gray feather tone. Males and females among these representatives of waterfowl are extremely difficult to distinguish from each other externally - the same body size, the same beak shape, the same neck length and the same plumage color.
The wingspan of swans can reach 2 meters in length, and their body weight is more than 15 kilograms. Swans' legs are small and short, which is why the birds seem clumsy when walking, waddling from side to side. The flight muscles of swans are very well developed, which allows them to make long flights, covering thousands of kilometers.
The smallest among swans is the tundra swan, for which it is also called small. Its body weight is up to 6 kilograms, its wing length is up to 550 millimeters. Just like the whooper swan, it has a yellow color on the sides of its beak, but it does not reach the rear edge of its nostrils. Young tundra swans differ in color from adults: their belly is light and their back is slightly grayish.
The largest swan is the mute swan. Its body weight can even reach 22 kilograms with a wing length of 620 millimeters. But usually it weighs between 13 and 20 kilograms. It has pure white plumage, often with a reddish-rusty coating on the head and neck. At the base of the swan's beak there is a black "bridle". The neck is curved (shaped like the letter “S”), the tail is wedge-shaped. The swan keeps its beak down. When young, their belly is slightly brownish and their back is gray-brown.
Types of swans
Today there are 7 species of swans, which include:
- Cygnus cygnus – whooper swan;
- Cygnus olor – mute swan;
- Cygnus buccinator – trumpeter swan;
- Cygnus bewickii – tundra swan;
- Cygnus columbianus – American swan;
- Cygnus melanocoryphus – black-necked swan;
- Cygnus atratus – black swan.
Habits of swans
The mute swan can actually make hissing sounds that resemble the voice of domestic geese or the loud hiss of a snake. He and the black swan know how to fold their wings on their backs in a “house” - not pressing them tightly to the body and leaving them slightly raised. Unlike the mute mute, the last of them (the black swan) has a beautiful voice: individuals greet each other in their voice, lowering and raising their heads.
The trumpeter swan has a loud, trumpet voice. Often swans swim out to the middle of the reservoir and begin to trumpet loudly, placing their heads on the water. This is how they express their dissatisfaction or simply call their relatives together. The whooper swan makes a kind of whistling sound in flight, but this is not the voice of a bird, but just “singing” plumage: at the moment of flight, the air comes into contact with the feathers on their wings and they make such enchanting sounds. This effect is no longer characteristic of any other species of swans.
Loyalty of Swans
All swans are monogamous birds. They form a couple once and for all, which is why they are the personification of fidelity, beauty and romance. From year to year, swans can use the same nesting site, flying to the chosen place and correcting their “home”. Very loyal to their chosen partners. Both parents take part in building the nest, feeding the brood, raising the young and protecting them. That is, swans are extremely loyal to their family.
Where does the swan live
Swans live on both American continents, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and throughout Eurasia. The black swan is a typical representative of the Australian continent. In recent years, the habitat of black swans has expanded to Europe, where they occupy a place not only in zoos, but also in ordinary parks. The black-necked swan lives in South America.
In Russia there are 4 species of swans: the tundra swan (occupies mainly the tundra and forest-tundra zones, preferring reservoirs from the Kolyma River to the Kola Peninsula, also found on some northern islands), the whooper swan (settles in the forest taiga, forest-tundra and tundra, choosing Kamchatka reservoirs, often in the Baikal region, the northern part of Kazakhstan and the lower reaches of the Volga), mute swan (found from the Far Eastern region to Europe, as well as in the Baltic countries, on the Danube River, Lake Chany, Ussuri River, in Transbaikalia) and American swan (its nesting grounds have been spotted in the Far East).
What does a swan eat?
Like the vast majority of lamellar beaks, swans feed on aquatic plants and small algae, often eating them directly with insects and mollusks. Swans readily eat grain - for example, corn and wheat. They often pluck leaves from willow branches hanging over the water and feed on coastal grass.
Swan: Red Book
Almost all swans are included in the all-Russian and regional Red Data Books of the Russian Federation. The mute swan is included in the Red Book of the Chelyabinsk region, Sverdlovsk region, Bashkortostan and Belarus. The whooper swan is a representative of the Red Books of the Kirov region, Chelyabinsk region, Khabarovsk region, Krasnoyarsk Territory, and is also listed in the Red Book of Russia. The tundra swan is generally a very rare, isolated species, and therefore is also included in the all-Russian Red Book. In addition, whooper swans are listed in the Red Book of Kazakhstan, as well as Buryatia and some other administrative territories.
Swans hunting
Officially, swan hunting has been completely prohibited since the 1960s., which gave some increase in their numbers. For the most part, all types of swans today form a group of ornamental waterfowl and are kept in nurseries, nature reserves, zoos, park areas - where there are bodies of water. In general, swans easily take root in captivity, decorating farmsteads, sanatoriums, and recreation parks, which is why there are wild and semi-wild individuals.
Most often, the down of swans is of interest - soft, light and retains heat well. The taste of the meat of this bird can only be learned from the testimony of the writer and avid hunter S. T. Aksakov, who noted that it is so tough that even 2-day soaking does not help, and the taste is reminiscent of the meat of ordinary wild geese, in which it is it’s also much juicier and softer.
sex with a small child
What is the right thing to do: from birth, do not allow the child to see anything like that? Or vice versa: will he see his parents making love and consider it normal? If so, then to what extent...
Since ancient times, people have admired the extraordinary beauty and royal grandeur of swans. It is no coincidence that graceful creatures have become heroes of various fairy tales, myths and legends. Nature has endowed swans not only with external splendor, but also with amazing features of behavior and lifestyle. Let's review the most interesting and surprising facts about these wonderful birds.
Size
Swans are the largest waterfowl in Europe. Depending on the species, the body length of adult individuals reaches 120-180 cm, and the weight can reach up to 15 kg. The wingspan of these birds is about 2-2.4 meters. In case of danger, a swan with a strong blow of its wing can cause significant harm to the enemy: break a bone and even kill a small predator.
Long neck
Among the duck family, swans have the longest necks. At the same time, the record holder among its relatives is the black swan, the cervical region of which consists of 23 vertebrae and reaches half the length of the individual’s body. Such an impressive neck size allows these birds to obtain food at the depths of reservoirs.
Good vision
Swans have excellent vision, which helps them find food and avoid enemies, including under water.
Plumage
Swans are champions in the number of feathers covering their bodies. In total they have 25 thousand individual feathers, forming a luxurious, thick plumage. When birds molt, they lose so many feathers there that they cannot even fly for some time.
Swan down has amazing thermal insulation, which allows birds to withstand the cold well. But this property became the reason for their mass extermination in medieval times.
Ornithologists have found that the color of the plumage of swans largely depends on their habitat. As a rule, birds in warm climates are darker in color than in cold climates. Therefore, in the northern regions you can find perfectly white individuals.
At the tip of the tail of swans there is a special gland that secretes fat to lubricate the feathers. Thanks to this, birds can swim in water for a long time without getting wet.
Altitude and flight speed
Thanks to their thick and warm plumage, swans can fly at record altitudes for birds. Back in the 60s of the 20th century, pilots recorded the flight of several individuals at an altitude exceeding 8200 meters.
Excellent muscles enable amazing birds to overcome flights of a thousand or more kilometers. Swans fly, forming a wedge, which is headed by the strongest individual. The aerodynamic flows created by the leader of the pack allow its other members to expend less energy. At the same time, swans can reach speeds of up to 80 km/h.
The large body mass prevents birds from taking off easily, so they have to flap their wings and move their paws for a long time in order to rise to the desired height. For the same reason, swans sit only on the water, clumsily braking with their paws on its surface.
Swan fidelity
Swans, having found their mate, become very attached to each other. Birds are able to recognize each other by appearance and will never confuse their partner with other individuals. At the same time, swans divide all the “hardships” of family life in half: together they get food, make flights, hatch and raise chicks, and take care of each other.
Birds take the death of their partner seriously. Not all individuals can create a new pair after the death of their significant other. Often, lonely swans leave the flock forever and live out their time in terrible melancholy and suffering. There are cases where faithful birds, having lost their partner, committed suicide by falling backwards from a great height.
The ability of swans to remain faithful to their partner throughout their lives is admired by people. It is no coincidence that these birds have become a symbol of real and sincere feelings, pure and mutual love. Many touching poems and songs have been written about swan fidelity.
Swan Solidarity
Swans treat not only their partner with care, but also other relatives. In cases of illness of one of the members of the flock, the birds may even postpone their flight until the individual recovers.
Same-sex couples
While studying black swans, ornithologists witnessed an unusual phenomenon. Males of these birds are capable of creating same-sex unions. In this case, birds use the female to lay eggs. After this, the male black swans drive her out and hatch and raise the offspring themselves.
Offspring
The female usually lays from 4 to 8 eggs, which incubates for 35 days. The chicks are born fluffy and, regardless of the species, have a gray color, which changes only in the third year of the bird’s life. Just a few days after birth, swans can swim independently with their parents.
Swans have very friendly and strong “families”. After the chicks grow up, they can live with their parents for a very long time.
Superstitions and signs
Since ancient times, swans have been the object of human observation. This explains the appearance of numerous signs and superstitions associated with wonderful birds.
Meeting white swans was considered lucky. Seeing a flock of white swans in the sky means your cherished desires will come true. A white swan swimming in the sea is a good sign for sailors, a sign of excellent weather.
A meeting with a black swan, on the contrary, according to signs, did not bode well. In England, this bird is considered a symbol of trouble and misfortune. Meeting a black swan on your wedding day promised imminent widowhood or an unhappy marriage. That is why in the old days unfortunate birds were killed, which led to a catastrophic decline in their population.
But killing white swans, according to popular belief, threatened the villain with serious health problems, life difficulties, and failures in all matters.
People also predicted the weather based on the behavior of these birds. For example, it is believed that if a swan begins to throw its head over its back during the day, bad weather will occur. Birds build nests at higher elevations - expect heavy rains.
- There are 7 species of swans in the world.
- The long life of swans in the natural environment is 25-28 years.
- The black swan is the emblem of Western Australia.
- The whooper swan is recognized as the national bird of Finland.