Swans
INDEX
WHAT IS A SWAN?
TYPES OF SWANS
SWAN FEATURES
SWAN CONSERVATION
SWANS OF ARDASTRA
WHAT IS A SWAN?
A swan is the largest of the waterfowl and is basically a glorified goose. The geese and swans are placed together in the same group, Anserini. Young swans are known as cygnets, from the Latin word for swan, cygnus. The male and female adults are known as cob and pen, though these terms are rarely used nowadays.
TYPES OF SWANS
There are seven different species of swans, of which five are found in the Northern hemisphere and two are found in the Southern hemisphere. The Northern Swans are all white in color and the Southern swans have some white and some black coloration, except for the Coscoroba swan. Swans are generally broken down into two main groups based on how they swim. Some swans swim with their necks held upright and some have the more classic arched neck look.
- Whooper swan - Cygnus cygnus - native to Europe and totally white in color.
- Trumpeter swan - C. buccinator - native to North America and totally white in color. Known for its elongated call.
- Whistling swan - C. columbianus - native to North America and totally white in color.
- Black swan - C. atratus - native to Australia and totally black in color.
- Black necked swan - C. melanocoryphus - native to South America and has a white body and black neck.
- Mute swan - C. olor - native to Europe and totally white in color.
- Coscoroba swan - Coscoroba coscoroba - native to South America and totally white in color. This is the smallest species of swan and has a head shaped more like a goose.
SWAN FEATURES
Swans have similar features as the ducks. They have webbed feet for swimming but they do not dive as they have extremely long necks, with extra vertebrae, for reaching down to tug on aquatic foliage.
Unlike the geese, swans have shorter legs and the legs are not centerly balanced and so they do not move around on land very well. However, like the geese, swans are excellent long distant flyers.
SWAN CONSERVATION
Swans have been hunted for centries. The Trumpeter swan, in particular, was once found throughout North America but nearly became extinct in the 1900's. Their eggs were collected for food, they were hunted for feathers for fashionable hats and quill pens, their skins were used for pillows and matresses and their meat was considered a delicacy.
The Trumpeter swan has since become a protected species and many captive breeding programs have been set up to re-establish these birds in many areas.
Return to Index.
SWANS OF ARDASTRA
Ardastra has one species of swan, the Australian black swan.
Australian black swans
Their latin name literally means "swans dressed in black". These swans are closely related to the Mute swans and swim with an arched neck. As their name suggests, they are native to Southern Australia but can now be found throughout Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea and Europe by human introduction.
Compared to some of the other swans, the black swans have a gentler nature. They are less territorial than most swans and so they often nest in large colonies. These swans are monogamous (they have the same partner throughout life) and during breeding season they will construct nests of mud, sticks and leaves that will essentially float on top of the water.
Black swans use calls and visual signals to communicate. They have advertisement calls used in territorial defense and specific calls used in "triumph ceremonies". This interesting courting ritual is performed by both sexes and is used to strengthen pair-bonds between mates. It involves wing-flapping, specific postering and distinct calls.
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