Specie's Page                                               Water Fowl - Mute Swans

The Manky Mallard:

UK Status: Native and Resident. Mute Swans are the Uk's only native swan, being resident all the year around. The similar looking Whooper, and Bewick's Swans are only over wintering visitors to the UK.

Habitat: This magnificent bird is found where ever there are water courses. Most large enough ponds, pools, lakes canals and rivers. Males are known as Cobs, and females as Pens.

Breeding: Mute Swans build their nests in March, and nest consist of a large pile of vegetation, mainly reeds, the nest is often reused year, after year. It is formed into a large cup in the centre, to house the four to seven large eggs that will be laid. Eggs are slightly glossy and of an off white appearance, and will hatch after about thirty six days. Although the male guards the nest when his mate goes off to feed, he will not incubate the eggs, but does take his parental duties very seriously once the eggs have hatched. When the Pen is going to be away from the nest, she often covers the eggs first with a layer of downy feathers.

Comment: In most places they seem quite comfortable with human a presence around, and often come to people to be fed. Often they they squabble between themselves, and quite aggressively bully smaller water fowl out of the way. Care should be taken when feeding swans and other wild fowl, the occasional individuals can some times be aggressive. There are two variants of the Mute Swan, the Royal variant is the main one in the UK. Polish variants have also been seen in the UK. Polish swans achieve their adult plumage at the age of six months, though are not fully grown at this age.