Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus) lives in arctic tundra across Northern Europe, Asia. It feeds on aquatic plants grains. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
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A real field recording of the Whooper Swan, made in the wild.
On 9 December 1967 a flock of roughly thirty whooper swans was spotted far above the usual flight level, cruising at 8 200 m - the highest altitude ever recorded for a bird over Britain. Radar detection was confirmed when a diverted commercial aircraft observed the birds west of Scotland.
Whooper swans are powerful fliers that undertake long migrations, often covering hundreds or even thousands of kilometres between their sub-arctic breeding grounds and winter sites in southern Europe or eastern Asia. During these journeys they normally cruise at 50-200 m altitude and can reach speeds of up to 100 km h⁻¹, though favourable conditions may see them soaring much higher.
The species is among the heaviest birds capable of sustained flight, with individuals typically weighing between 7.4 kg and 14.0 kg. Males average 9.8-11.4 kg and females 8.2-9.2 kg, reflecting a modest sexual dimorphism. The greatest mass ever recorded was a wintering male from Denmark at 15.5 kg, underscoring the whooper swan's status as one of the heaviest flying birds documented.
Adult whooper swans are pure white, yet their heads and necks frequently acquire a rusty-yellow tint after they feed in water that contains high levels of tannins or iron compounds. This staining is a direct result of the pigments dissolved in the water being deposited on the plumage during foraging.
The whooper swan was once known as 'elk', a term that has no connection to the deer of the same name. This old name comes from the Old Norse word elft and survives in modern Icelandic as álft, while also being cognate with the Latin albus meaning 'white'. The species was formally described by Carl Linnaeus in the 1758 edition of Systema Naturae, where it received the binomial Anas cygnus before being placed in the genus Cygnus.
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As the Whooper Swan glides effortlessly across the mist-shrouded wetlands, its snow-white plumage glistens like a beacon, illuminating the subdued tones of the landscape. With a majestic neck outstretched and wings beating in a slow, powerful rhythm, this regal bird moves through the world with a serene confidence, its haunting calls echoing across the water like a symphony of wild, untamed beauty. In its annual migrations, the Whooper Swan undertakes a remarkable journey, traversing vast expanses of sky and sea to reach its breeding grounds, a testament to its enduring spirit and unyielding connection to the wild.
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