Black Swan

Cygnus atratus

The Black Swan is a beautiful bird with shiny black feathers and a bright red beak. They are graceful swimmers and can often be seen gliding on lakes and rivers.

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The Black Swan is an unmistakable bird with entirely black plumage, except for bright white flight feathers visible during flight. It has a striking deep-red bill with a pale band and a famously long, elegant, curved neck, making it visually distinct from other swan species.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassAvesOrderAnseriformesFamilyAnatidaeGenusCygnus

Black Swan

Interesting facts

A group of swans is called a 'bevy' in flight, but a 'lamentation' on the ground!

Baby black swans, called cygnets, are born covered in fluffy grey down!

Black Swans use their feet to stir up mud, uncovering tasty plants to eat!

Unlike most swans, Black Swans build large, floating nests in shallow water!

Special abilities

Black Swan can reach deep underwater plants because of its extra-long neck that helps them graze submerged vegetation.

Black Swan has a loud, bugling call that helps them communicate with other swans across vast stretches of water.

Black Swan has oily, waterproof feathers that help them stay dry and warm while swimming and diving in cold water.

Black Swan can fly long distances because of its powerful wings that help them find new wetlands.

Measurements & details

Length: 110-140 cm
Wingspan: 160-200 cm
Weight: 3.7-8.7 kg
Lifespan: 10-20 years
Top Speed: 60 km/h
Clutch Size: 4-8
Incubation: 35-40 days

Diet & Feeding

These elegant birds are vegetarians, mostly eating yummy underwater plants and seeds.

Primary Foods

Aquatic plants
Algae
Sedges
Grasses
Seeds

Foraging Method

Foraging

Ecological connections

eaten by

Red Fox

Vulpes vulpes

Foxes prey on Black Swan eggs and cygnets.

eaten by

Wedge-tailed Eagle

Aquila audax

Eagles can prey on young Black Swan cygnets.

shelters

Broadleaf Cattail

Typha latifolia

Swans use cattails for nesting material and cover.

eats

Curled Pondweed

Potamogeton crispus

A common aquatic plant that Black Swans feed on.

Traits

Feathered

Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers.

Webbed Feet

Characterized by having toes connected by a membrane, typically aiding in swimming.

Social

Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring.

Filter Feeder

Filter feeders obtain nutrients by straining suspended food particles and small organisms from water.

Herbivorous

This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.

Longevous

This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.