Whooper

The whooper swan (Cygnus cygnus) is a large, white waterfowl in the family Anatidae. It is one of the heaviest flying birds and is characterized by a long neck, black legs, and a predominantly white plumage. Its bill is largely black with a pale yellow patch at the base.

Whooper swans breed in northern Europe and Asia, including Fennoscandia, Russia, and parts of Iceland. They migrate to milder regions for the winter, with regular wintering sites in western Europe, the British Isles, and parts of East Asia. They favor lakes, rivers, and wetlands with shallow water for feeding and nesting.

Behavior and ecology: Outside the breeding season, whooper swans are highly social and often form large flocks. They are known for their resonant, trumpeting calls from which the name “whooper” is derived. They typically fly in loose V-formations during migration. Their diet consists mainly of aquatic vegetation, including underwater plants, grasses, and occasionally seeds and small invertebrates.

Reproduction: Nests are built on or near freshwater bodies, often among emergent vegetation. Clutch size ranges from five to nine eggs. Incubation lasts roughly 33 to 38 days, and both parents care for the young, which fledge after about 60 to 75 days.

Conservation status: The whooper swan is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, with a large and relatively stable global population. Threats include wetland habitat loss and degradation, pollution, and, in some regions, hunting pressure. Conservation efforts focus on wetlands protection and monitoring of wintering and breeding populations.