Mute Swan
Cygnus olor (Gmelin 1789)
Appearance
The Mute Swan is one of the most iconic species of swan in the northern hemisphere with its orange bill and black bill knob, known to be of considerable size. Mute Swans are large (length 140-160cm) with adult females weighing around 9.7kg and males 11.9kg (Kear 2005). They have very white plumage with black legs and feet. They are easily identifiable when compared to other northern hemisphere swans such as Bewick’s and Whistling Swans due to the bill colouration. They also have a tendency to arch their wings above their back whilst carrying their neck in a curved position.
Cygnets are pale grey in colour, with white under parts. They have black feet and bill, growing into their pinkish-orange bill within the first year. A juvenile will be completely white in full moult during its second summer (Nelson 1976a, 1976b, 1993).
Voice
Despite their name, Mute Swans are not silent. The adults use a variety of grunts and snorts during courtship and use hisses for aggressive encounters and threat displays. Cygnets have fairly high-pitched peeping noises until they are fully fledged, when their deeper voice emerges. Mutes are very distinguishable due to their unique singing noise produced by their wings in flight. These powerful downbeat sounds occur at a rate of 4 beats per second and are very far-carrying (Kear 1968).
Moult
Mutes moult their body feathers annually, moulting the wing feathers during 6-8 weeks after the breeding season. This results in flightlessness during summer months. Females tend to moult first and once her flight feathers are fully grown, the male will then moult.
Distribution
Mutes are found from Western Europe to central Asia. European populations tend to be non-migratory but can be locally displaced by cold weather and congregate in large groups after breeding. Introduced populations occur on the east coast of the United States and around the Great Lakes area, extending into Canada (Petrie & Francis 2003). Small populations also occur in South Western Australia and across New Zealand.
Population Status
Population | Year of latest pop. estimate | Population size | Data types | Trend years | Trend | Trend quality | 1% threshold | Source |
North-west mainland Europe | 2004-2004 | 250,000-250,000 | UNK | 1997-2007 | INC | Reasonable | 250 | (1)(2) |
Britain | 0-0 | 31,700 – 31-700 | UNK | 1994-1999 | INC/STA | UNK | 320 | (3)(4) |
Ireland | 0-0 | 10,000 – 10,000 | UNK | 0-0 | INC | UNK | 100 | (5) |
Black Sea | 1990-1995 | 45,000 – 45,000 | Expert opinion | 1990-2000 | INC | Poor | 450 | (2)(6)(7) |
West & Central Asia | 1990-1995 | 250,000-250,000 | Census | 1978-1887 | UNK | Poor | 2500 | (6) |
Central Asia | 0-0 | 10,000 – 10,000 | Best guess | 0-0 | UNK | UNK | 250 | (8) |
East Asia | 0-0 | 1,000 – 3,000 | UNK | 0-0 | UNK | UNK | 15 | (9) |
From: Wetlands International 2016. (1) Wetlands International 2005, (2) Wetlands international 2012, (3) Ward et al. 2005, (4) Kershaw & Cranswick 2003, (5) Shepherd 1993, (6) Scott & Rose 1996, (7) BirdLife International 2004, (8) Yanagisawa et al. 1993, (9) Miyabayashi & Mundkur (1999).
Habitat
Mute Swans use a wide range of shallow lakes and rivers, as well as freshwater and brackish wetlands. In some areas terrestrial habitats such as grasslands and cereal fields may be used. Preferable habitats have a wide variety of aquatic vegetation and terrestrial vegetation consisting of grasses and cereals, especially in late winter when aquatic vegetation is minimal. An adult in moult can require up to 4kg of vegetable matter per day (Mathiasson 1973b). Territorial disputes between pairs can be common.
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Protection
Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA, 2015) Appendix III of the Bern Convention (Council of Europe 1979). Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) and The Wild Creatures and Forest Law Act (1971) to safeguard the Queen’s rights of ownership of Swans (Hull Biodiversity Partnership, 2008).
IUCN Red List Assessment
Least Concern (LC)
Threats
Human hunting for sport and food. Taken for pets and animal displays (BirdLife International, 2012). Lead poisoning due to ingested lead fishing weights, lead shot and lead contaminated sediments (del Hoyo et al. 1992; Kelly & Kelly 2004; Spray & Milne 1988; Day et al. 2003). Ingestion or entanglement in fishing lines (Kelly & Kelly 2004). Overhead lines collisions (del Hoyo et al. 1992) Avian influenza (Melville & Shortridge 2006; Nagy et al. 2007)