In October 2018, over 100 swan researchers gathered in Tartu in Estonia for the 6th International Swan Symposium. We’re delighted that now some of the key research from that meeting has been published in a special issue of WWT’s scientific journal Wildfowl. The special issue features 11 articles, all of which are free to download and read. The published articles cover a wide range of swan species and research topics, including a review of the conservation status of the world’s swans, trends in the numbers of Bewick’s and whooper swans in northwest Europe, as well as studies on moult migrations, breeding biology, habitat use, and more. These articles have been written by experts from across Europe, Asia, Australia, North America, and South America, offering a truly global update on swan research. Researchers aim to hold the 7th International Swan Symposium in 4-5 years’ time, but in the meantime we hope that you find all of the articles interesting.