Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) lives in temperate wetlands across Eurasia and far north of Africa. It feeds on aquatic plants algae. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
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One unusually big Polish cob weighed almost 23 kg (51 lb), the heaviest weight ever verified for a flying bird, though scientists doubt it could still take off. Typical male swans average 10.6-11.87 kg, but the top normal weight is about 15 kg. In flight they can reach up to 88.5 km/h (55 mph), while take-off runs push them to around 48 km/h.
Adult mute swans usually measure 140-160 cm (55-63 in) long, but extreme individuals can be as short as 125 cm or as long as 170 cm, with a wingspan of 200-240 cm (79-94 in). This makes them the second-largest waterfowl after the trumpeter swan, and the heaviest males can even outweigh a male trumpeter.
Mute swans can form colonies of over 100 breeding pairs, with nests sometimes only 2 m (7 ft) apart, as seen at Abbotsbury Swannery in England and Ottenby Preserve in Sweden. The biggest non-breeding flock recorded was 787 birds on the River Tweed estuary. Such dense gatherings illustrate their territorial flexibility: they defend small patches fiercely but can also tolerate massive aggregations when food is abundant.
At the end of the breeding season the native mute swan population totals about 500,000 birds, with up to 350,000 of them in Russia. The single largest breeding hotspot holds 11,000 pairs in the Volga Delta.
Mute swans breeding in Mongolia, eastern Russia, and China migrate thousands of kilometres south-east to winter on the lower Yellow River, western Yellow Sea, and North Korean coast, completing the journey in 30-32 days.
Sources
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As the misty dawn breaks over the serene waters, a majestic Mute Swan glides effortlessly, its snowy plumage glistening like polished marble, its powerful neck bending with a serene elegance. With each stroke of its broad wings, the swan propels itself through the ripples, leaving behind a trail of shimmering silken threads, its very presence a testament to the tranquil beauty of the natural world. In this peaceful domain, the Mute Swan reigns supreme, a symbol of refined majesty, its gentle honking calls echoing softly across the stillness.
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