mature Whooper swan stretching
this is Whooper swan Whoopers are wild swans from Iceland they fly to Scotland or as in this case he is a loner but has made friends with a mute couple and helps protect them and their signets He is very noisy Not so elegant but full of character They normally mate for life I also assist with swan rescue Swan species of water birds which make up a distinct section of the duck family Swans are larger than geese and are recognizable by their long arched necks Noted for their graceful movements in the water they have been the subject of many poems fairy tales legends and musical compositions During migration they fly in V formation high in the sky Swans may live up to 35 years in the wild and they pair for life The mute swan is about 1 5 m 5 ft in length and weighs up to 13 5 kg 30 lb It originated in the eastern hemisphere but is now seen as a domesticated bird in much of Europe and North America It is called the mute swan because it is the least vocal of all the swan species although it hisses when angry Adult mute swans are pure white with reddish bills The bill has a black tip and is surmounted by a black knob at the base The largest of the swans is the trumpeter swan which breeds from Alaska to the Rocky Mountain states and has been introduced farther east Its numbers were dangerously low at one time but it has since recovered Its counterpart in the eastern hemisphere is the noisy whooper swan which has a large yellow patch on the side of the bill and a differently shaped trachea The whooper looks much like the smaller Bewick s swan the Eurasian subspecies of the tundra swan of which the American population which has less yellow on the bill has long been called the whistling swan The black swan a red billed bird that resembles the mute swan in shape inhabits Australia. Swans are known to be carriers of the Avain Influenza A (H5N1) virus also called H5N1 virus, which so far has not reached the British Isles.
Size: 5052px × 3464px
Photo credit: © SILBERNICUS / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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