These elegant birds that glide across the water with their long necks stylishly arched have been romantic material for myths and legends since storytelling began.
Did you know a group of swans is called a bevy or a wedge?
Swan facts
Scientific name: Cygnus
Family: Anatidae
Diet: Plants, particularly waterweed
Predators: Cygnets are lost to birds and large fish. Full-grown swans are preyed on by foxes and mink
Size: 1.5m with a wingspan of 2.2m
Weight: 9-11.5kg
Lifespan: 10 years
About swans
Among the largest flying birds, swans can be found year-round on most of our lakes, slow-moving rivers, and canals. They nest in open country and busier towns and cities.
The swan most familiar to us in the UK is the mute swan, so called because they make comparatively little vocal noise while flying. Mute swans display little fear of humans in Britain, where they have long been domesticated.
Despite rumours of royal ownership, swans in the UK aren't actually owned by the monarch. In truth, the crown only has ownership of unclaimed mute swans on select stretches of the River Thames around Windsor Castle.
But they do still have a regal bearing – and a romantic one. Throughout time, the mute swan has been a symbol of love and fidelity because of their long-lasting relationships, graceful looks, and the heart shape of their necks when joining heads.
Swans and our canals
The mute swan is one of the most recognisable birds on our canals. Its long, curved neck and graceful glide are familiar to all of us. The habitats along our canals provide ideal nesting places for swans to make their homes.
White feathered and long-necked, swans are the largest waterfowl on our canals. Males (cobs) are typically bigger than females (pens), although they have similar plumage.
Here are the different species on our canals.
An adult mute swan with its characteristic orange bill swims on the canal with seven small grey-brown cygnets.
Mute swan
The most common species in the UK, the mute swan has an 'S' shaped neck, an all-white body, and an orange bill with a black bulbous bump. They're one of the only swan species with an orange bill.
Their wingspan can stretch to almost 2.5 metres, and they make slow, steady flaps to fly. You can find mute swans year-round on canals, ponds, and lakes. In the spring, you might spot them nesting on large reed mounds.
Despite their name, mute swans make loud honks and snorts when they fly. Although they lack the carrying call of other species, mute swan wings produce a high-pitched sound in flight.
The whooper swan is a large bird with a yellow and black bill, white plumage, and long neck. Although they look similar, they have more yellow on their bill and are bigger than Bewick's swans. Whooper swans are mostly migratory birds, arriving from Iceland for the winter.
However, a few small populations breed in the UK (typically in the north). Your best chance of spotting whooper swans on our canals is from October to March.
Whooper swans are loud birds, often heard 'bulging' when feeding or flying. They spend their days eating crops in fields and head to open water to roost.
Bewick's swan
The Bewick's swan is smaller than a mute or whooper with more black on their beak, covering the nostril, and has a faster wingbeat.
Adults are white, while juveniles are greyish with a slightly pink bull. Bewick's swans breed in northern Russia on the Arctic Ocean coasts and migrate to the UK in winter.
However, as climate change warms temperatures, they may shorten their migratory journey. They have similar calls to whoopers, although typically slightly shorter.
What do swans eat?
Swans are herbivorous, feeding on land and in water – although they may occasionally eat aquatic animals. In water, swans up-end or dabble to eat water plants. On land, they like roots, tubers, stems, grains, and leaves.
While birds don't have teeth, swan beaks have serrated edges (like other Anatidae) used for catching and eating plants and algae.
If you're feeding swans on the canal, they love sweetcorn, potatoes, lettuce, oats, and seeds. Avoid giving them bread.
Swans form monogamous pairings for life, fuelling their romantic reputations. They form strong emotional bonds and family units, finding their mate from as young as two years old. However, they're not generally mature enough to breed until three or four. Sadly, swans can get 'divorced' following a nesting failure. Widowed swans may also take up with a new mate.
Female swans lay between five and eight large green-brown eggs, one every other day, and incubate them all for just over a month. Male swans may also incubate the eggs.
Both parents play a role in guarding and rearing their offspring. Young swans, known as cygnets, leave the nest after two days and follow their parents to the water, creating an endearing family portrait.
About 32,000 mute swans are resident in the UK.
Where do swans live?
Mute swans are resident on our canals all year round. Some birds stay in their territories while others travel long distances. Whooper and Bewick's swans are regular winter visitors.
Adult swans begin building their nest in the spring. They nest on the ground, near to water. The cob will collect reeds and sticks for the female to arrange – never straying too far from his mate. If a predator or human gets too close, he may hiss and flap his wings.
Threats vary between species. Mute swans are widespread and generally well-adapted to the modern world, although habitat loss and water pollution can harm them. Bewick's swans are the most threatened species from illegal hunting and climate change.
