Cygnus olor - The Mute Swan

 The Mute Swan 

By Lachlan Royle 

The Mute Swan; a symbol of grace and elegance with a rich history protected by the late Queen herself and yet they are a species that can be so aggressive and territorial known to drown unfortunate dogs if they get too close. They are a fine example of how exterior beauty doesn't always equal internal serenity. 

The Mute Swan is the UK's largest species of waterfowl and are incredibly distinctive from their snowy white plumage to their bright orange bill, they are one of 3 species of Swan that can be found in the UK discounting the introduced Black Swan; alongside the Whoopers and Bewick Swans. 

Mute Swans are perhaps most recognisable in flight, adopting a very unorthodox heavy weighted pattern, it almost looks as if they're not intended to fly at all. This is particularly obvious when they take off from the water as they make an awful commotion. Mute Swans have a very wide distribution and can be found throughout much of Europe, the UK in particular plays host to roughly 50,000 individuals with as many as 20,000 breeding pairs almost two thirds of the world population. This population has only increased since they were place under the Queens protection meaning they are nowhere near as persecuted a species as many other UK waterfowl. 

They are a very territorial species that often hiss at people who get too close to them and have been known on a number of occasions to drown dogs who get too close to their cygnets. Taxonomically the name Cygnus olor very simply means swan in Latin, deriving from a term cycnus form the G
reek word kyknos which also means Swan.