Black swan
The black swan, native to Australia and New Zealand, is a distinctive bird known for its striking black plumage and unique physical features, including bright red eyes and a red bill with a white band. Unlike other swan species, which are typically white, the black swan's dark feathers contributed to superstitions in 18th-century Europe, where it was often seen as a harbinger of bad luck. These birds thrive in shallow lakes, rivers, and ponds, often feeding on aquatic plants, algae, and grains found in flooded or cultivated fields.
Black swans are known for their monogamous mating habits, typically forming lifelong bonds with a partner. Their breeding season occurs from February to September, coinciding with the rainy season in their habitat. They build nests near water, sometimes floating on it, and typically lay between four to eight eggs, which both parents incubate. The young, called cygnets, are precocial, swimming shortly after hatching, and remain with their parents for several months until they are ready to fend for themselves. While not endangered, black swans are fully protected in Australia and have few natural predators as adults.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Black swan
A native bird of Australia, the black swan is the only swan that does not have white plumage, except for its white wing tips. This swan also has bright red eyes, a small red patch in front of each eye, and a red bill with a white band near the tip. Superstitious people in the mid-1700s in Europe initially thought the black swan brought bad luck, likely because of its black feathers.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Anseriformes
Family: Anatidae
Genus: Cygnus
Species: Atratus
Although black swans are strong fliers and may wander between the wetland habitats of Australia and New Zealand, they are content to stay in one place when food is available. Shallow lakes, rivers, and ponds are the most frequent places to see these large, graceful birds. They prefer water that is three feet (one meter) deep or less since they poke their heads and necks underwater to feed on plants, algae, and weeds, such as duckweed. Flooded fields and other cultivated fields also provide some grains for the swans to eat.
Black swans are between 43 and 56 inches (110 and 142 centimeters) in length and have wingspans of 5.5 to 6.5 feet (1.5 to 2 meters). They may weigh 8 to 20 pounds (3.5 to 9 kilograms). Black plumage, or feathering, completely covers their large bodies, except for the white wing tips visible in flight. The bright red of their eyes matches the red skin patches in front of their eyes and is the same color as their red bills. A white band stripes the tip of each of their bills. Black swans are herbivores and eat vegetation in water and on land.
Black swans are monogamous and stay with one mate for life. The months between February and September are the breeding season for black swans in most of Australia and New Zealand. This is usually the rainy season. Drought may force the swans not to mate. The male, or cob, and female, or pen, build a large nest, most often on land near the water, but sometimes the nest floats on the water in swamps. While all the other swan species nest away from other swans, black swans nest in colonies, allowing other swans to build neighboring nests. Four to eight, usually five or six, green eggs incubate in the nest for about 35 to 48 days. Both pen and cob take turns keeping the eggs warm during this time. The cygnets, or young swans, hatch over a period of a few days, and all of them begin swimming shortly afterward. The swan family remains together while the cygnets grow and develop feathers during the first three months after hatching. The young stay with their parents until they are nine months old. They can mate when they are between eighteen and thirty-six months. Occasionally, two male black swans may form a monogamous relationship. These two cobs may attempt to parent the eggs of another female.
Black swans live up to twelve years in the wild and forty years in captivity. Adult black swans have few natural predators, although their eggs and young are vulnerable to other animals. Dogs, cats, and foxes may threaten the black swan. Although the black swan is not a threatened or endangered species, it is fully protected and cannot be hunted for any reason in Australia.
Bibliography
“Black Swan - Facts, Diet, Habitat & Pictures on Animalia.bio.” Animalia Bio, www.animalia.bio/black-swan. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.
“Black Swan Facts and Information - SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment.” SeaWorld.org, seaworld.org/animals/facts/birds/black-swan. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.
“Black Swan - The Australian Museum.” Australian Museum, australian.museum/learn/animals/birds/black-swan. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.
Jackson, Cheryl. “ADW: Cygnus Atratus: Information.” Animal Diversity Web, 2004, animaldiversity.org/accounts/Cygnus‗atratus. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.