Mute SwanCygnus olorWhere and when to see them

The Mute Swan is a large waterbird with white adult plumage and a long, graceful neck. Native to parts of Europe and Asia, it has also been introduced elsewhere. It is a familiar sight on many European waterways, including suitable stretches of the Rhine, Saône and Seine. Despite its name, it is not silent and communicates through several quiet calls as well as conspicuous hissing. Its global population is not currently considered threatened, although individual birds face hazards such as fishing tackle, pollution and collisions.

Size

Length: 125–170 cm; wingspan: 200–240 cm.

Weight

Typically 7–15 kg; males are generally heavier than females.

Lifespan

Often 10–20 years in the wild, although some individuals live longer.

Status

Least Concern (IUCN).

Mute Swans spend much of their time swimming, feeding and maintaining their plumage. Pairs often remain together for many years, although partnerships can change. During the breeding season, they defend a nesting territory and may drive away other swans or perceived threats. A defensive bird may arch its wings over its back and hold its neck curved. The female performs most incubation, while the male helps defend the nest and surrounding area. Both parents protect the cygnets, which can swim and feed themselves soon after hatching. Outside the breeding season, nonbreeding birds and families may gather in groups, and adults temporarily lose the ability to fly while replacing their flight feathers.

• A male swan is called a cob, a female a pen and a young swan a cygnet.
• Their wingbeats produce a distinctive rhythmic throbbing sound in flight.
• Some cygnets hatch white rather than the more usual grey.
• Small cygnets sometimes ride on a parent's back.

Wildlife opportunities depend on the river reach, water levels and species. River-specific viewing months have not been confirmed; general species seasons are not a local sighting forecast.

Mute Swans favour freshwater and brackish wetlands with accessible aquatic vegetation. They use rivers, lakes, ponds, canals, marshes and sheltered estuaries. Along the Rhine, Saône and Seine, quieter margins, backwaters and adjoining water bodies can provide suitable habitat. Shallow feeding areas and banks or islands with nesting cover are particularly useful. They also inhabit urban waterways where conditions allow, but fast currents and heavily disturbed banks are less suitable for nesting.

Their diet consists mainly of aquatic plants, including leaves, stems and roots. They reach submerged vegetation with their long necks and may tip forward with their tails raised to feed deeper underwater. They also graze on grasses and other plants along banks and nearby land. Small aquatic animals, such as insects and molluscs, are sometimes eaten alongside vegetation.

Common name

Mute Swan

Scientific name

Cygnus olor

Animal group

Birds

Size

Length: 125–170 cm; wingspan: 200–240 cm.

Weight

Typically 7–15 kg; males are generally heavier than females.

Lifespan

Often 10–20 years in the wild, although some individuals live longer.

Status

Least Concern (IUCN).

Identification

Adults are white with an orange bill, a black bill base and a prominent black knob above the bill, usually larger in males. The neck is often held in an S-shaped curve, although posture varies with activity. Young birds are usually grey-brown with a dull greyish bill, gradually acquiring white plumage as they mature. Compared with adult Whooper and Bewick’s Swans, the orange rather than yellow-and-black bill is a key feature.