Cygnus cygnus
The Whooper Swan, *Cygnus cygnus*, is a magnificent large white swan known for its distinct vocalizations and impressive migratory journeys across Eurasia. Adults typically measure 140-165 cm (55-65 inches) in length with a wingspan of 205-275 cm (81-108 inches) and weigh between 7.4-14 kg (16-31 lbs), with males generally being larger than females. Its most distinctive field mark is its bill, which is predominantly bright yellow with a sharp black tip, forming a characteristic triangular or ...
This species primarily inhabits shallow freshwater bodies such as lakes, ponds, slow-moving rivers, and bogs during breeding, often venturing into coastal lagoons, estuaries, and agricultural fields in winter.
Their diet consists mainly of aquatic vegetation, including leaves, stems, roots, and tubers of submerged plants, supplemented with terrestrial grasses and cereal grains in winter, along with some aquatic invertebrates.
Whooper Swans are largely diurnal, spending their days foraging and often roosting on open water overnight, especially during winter. Their foraging strategy involves extensive head-dipping and 'up-ending' in shallow water to reach submerged vegetation, and they will also graze on terrestrial pla...
The Whooper Swan boasts a vast Palearctic breeding range, extending from Iceland and Fennoscandia eastward across the vast expanses of Siberia, reaching as far as Kamchatka and Sakhalin Island. Significant populations breed in Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, and Kazakhstan. They underta...
Least Concern
- Whooper Swans are among the heaviest flying birds, capable of long-distance migrations between their breeding and wintering grounds. - Their species name 'cygnus' is Latin for 'swan', and their common name 'whooper' refers to their distinctive, loud, trumpet-like calls. - The Whooper Swan is th...