What is a Swan?
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Swans are birds in the genus Cygnus, in the family Anatidae, making them close relatives to ducks and geese. These waterfowl originated in the Old World, and they have since spread to many regions across the globe, congregating around lakes, rivers, and streams. Their distinctive appearance is perceived as quite attractive by many people, earning the birds a special place in folklore.
These birds have muscular, heavy bodies, large webbed feet, and long, slender necks. They are among the largest and heaviest of all waterbirds, and they vary in color from pure white to black. While many people associate swans with the color white, those in the Southern Hemisphere tend to be more brown or mottled in color, although they share the graceful movement and familiar appearance of their Northern Hemisphere cousins.
Swans famously mate for life, although "divorces" do sometimes occur, and they raise clutches of three to eight young, known as cygnets until they mature into adults. Males are known as cobs, while females are called pens. The history of swans and humans is quite old, as they have been domesticated as ornamental and companion birds for centuries in Europe and Asia. In some regions, they have also been eaten, with some cultures reserving the meat for the consumption of royalty only.
The birds feed on aquatic plants, which they churn up from the bottom of shallow waterways. This can make them into noxious pests, as they will substantially disturb waterways in a quest for food. In areas where the swan is not native, imported birds have been known to displace local species by destroying the habitat, muddying the water, and frightening other birds off with their large size and ferocity.
Although they look quite graceful and peaceful from a distance, the birds can be quite vicious. They are sometimes used as guard animals, like their goose cousins, and they are especially aggressive around nests and young. Because swans are large and strong, they can deal out some severe bruises with their heavy wings. The best thing to do when attacked by one is to back away from the area, in the hopes of moving away from the territory the bird is defending.
Some well known species include black swans, mute swans, whistling swans, trumpeter swans, and whooper swans. As people might imagine from some of these colorful common names, some birds make very distinctive and unusual noises.
Mary McMahon
Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a AllThingsNature researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.
Mary McMahon
Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a AllThingsNature researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.
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![Swans are closely related to ducks and geese.]()
By: Evgenia TiplyashinaSwans are closely related to ducks and geese. -
![Black swans, which are native to Australia and New Zealand, are a species of swan that are mostly black and can reach a height of 56 inches when fully grown.]()
Black swans, which are native to Australia and New Zealand, are a species of swan that are mostly black and can reach a height of 56 inches when fully grown. -
![The chicks of the black swan species, which us native to Australia, resemble those of other swan species.]()
The chicks of the black swan species, which us native to Australia, resemble those of other swan species.
Discussion Comments
I remember going to a field trip and my teacher telling the group not to go near swans, or the lake, for that matter. She told us that because it was the season where the cygnets usually hatch, the parents are vicious in trying to protect their young, so there you have it!
@giddion – I remember hearing the story of the ugly duckling turning into a swan when I was little. When I finally did see an actual baby swan, I didn't think it was ugly at all.
True, it bore no resemblance to the white-feathered mother, but it was cute in its own way. It was covered in gray fuzz, and it just looked so cuddly!
My cousins and I saw a mother swan while on sailboats at a lake. She had her babies all around her, and they appeared to be getting tired.
We stayed a safe distance away, because we did not want her to feel like she had to protect them from us. The baby swans got up on her back, and she adjusted them around to a secure spot. She put her wings down over them as a sort of seatbelt, and she swam to shore.
I have never seen a swan in person, but I have seen people make origami swans that are quite lovely. I would never be able to remember all of those folds, but some people are just talented like that.
One Asian restaurant I visited had a paper napkin folded into a swan resting in the center of every table. I thought this was a very nice touch.
A Swan is a concept that I devised to list the personality traits of a potentially perfect mate. It's an acronym for (S)trengths, (w)eaknesses, (a)mbitions, (n)eeds -- which are balanced in mirrored-reflection and counterpoint to my own.
For me to call someone a Swan, is an accolade of respect. And while I won't provide my own specific list. Metaphorically, it portrays a relationship between two distinct voices that are independent in expression and cadence, yet are harmonically supportive. Swans are rare, indeed, and when frightened or confused, assume the characteristics of chickens!
@ Anon67180- I have never been attacked by a swan, but I have been chased by plenty of goose. If swans are anything like goose, I would also say steer clear. A goose is big, but a swan is bigger.
@ Anon67180- Believe it or not, swans really do attack people. My parents lived on a small organic farm when I was younger and we always kept geese, ducks, chickens, and a couple of swans. The swans and the African Geese were the most ferocious of our animals. In fact, my dog, a chow/German shepherd mix, was deathly afraid of the geese and swans. For the most part, the swans were peaceful, but when they were nesting, they were particularly unpleasant. You could not go near them without them trying to peck at you or chase you away from the nest. They have strong beaks too and they are filled with tiny little spike teeth. Watch out!
Can swans really attack people? Until now, I always thought swans were perfectly harmless.
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