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Bewick's Swan Cygnus columbianus [Ord, 1815]
Other Names
Trends & Distribution
Breeding & Survival
Biometrics
Books & Links
Order:
Anseriformes
Family:
Anatidae
BTO Codes:
BS , BEWSW
EURING No:
1530
Number in Britain:
8100 birds (Winter)
Conservation Status:
UK:
AMBER
European:
3 Concern, most not in Europe; Vulnerable
Global:
Least Concern
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IBC
Status in UK:
(A) Winter Visitor
Subspecies:
bewickii (W), columbianus (V) recorded in Britain (of 2 subsp. in the world)
.
Length:
121 cm
Wingspan:
196 cm
Weight:
M: 6.4 kg F: 5.3 kg
Scientific name from:
L.: cygnus =the swan (from Gr.: kuknos )
and after the Columbia river (western US)
World Distribution:
BREEDS: tundra in n Eurasia & n North America, WINTERS: south to c Europe & Japan, s Canada & US
Habitat:
Lakes, ponds & rivers, also estuaries on migration
Diet:
Plant material (e.g. tubers, shoots, leaves) in water or flooded pasture
TitBit:
One Bewick's Swan was counted to have 25,216 feathers, its dense feathering providing excellent insulation, and the pattern of yellow on the bill can be used to identify individuals
Population and Distribution
Population Trend:
No population trend available
Distribution:
New Atlas )
British Population Size:
Winter:
8070 individuals
in 1994-99
First Record:
1824
[Fossil evidence from
Middle Pleistocene, c. 500,000 yr ago]
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
No habitat data from BBS
European Population Size:
Summer:
Unavailable
Birds in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of:
WCA(I), WBD(I), Bern(III), Bonn(II), AEWA
Survey Results:
Breeding and Survival
Egg Size:
107 x 68 mm
Egg Weight:
280.0 g (of which 12 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records:
0
Clutch Size:
3 - 5 eggs
Incubation:
29 - 30 days
by the:
Female
Fledging:
40 - 45 days
as:
Precocial, downy
First Clutches Laid:
Does not breed in Britain, or too few Nest Records
Number of Broods:
1
Number Ringed:
25
Adult Survival:
0.822
Juvenile Survival:
0.66 (to age 2 )
Age at First Breeding:
4
years
Typical Lifespan:
9
years
Maximum Recorded Age:
20yr3m
Biometrics
Ring Size:
M*
Wing Length
Adult:
508.7 ± 20.6
Range
483 - 549 mm, N =53
Juvenile:
Insufficient Data.
Male:
518.7 ± 21.0
485 - 549 mm, N =22
Female:
497.3 ± 13.8
473 - 518 mm, N =24
Weight
Adult:
5.89 ± 0.78
Range
4.60 - 7.40 kg , N =56
Juvenile:
Insufficient Data.
Male:
6.27 ± 0.83
5.00 - 7.40 kg , N =22
Female:
5.67 ± 0.63 .
4.60 - 6.40 kg , N =24
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data
Other Names
Tundra/Whistling Swan
Gaelic:
Eala-bheag
Welsh:
Alarch Bewick
Danish:
Pibesvane
Dutch:
Kleine zwaan
Finnish:
Pikkujoutsen
French:
Cygne siffleur
German:
Zwergschwan
Hungarian:
Kis hattyú
Icelandic:
Dvergsvanur
Irish:
Eala Bewick
Italian:
Cigno minore
Norwegian:
Dvergsvane
Polish:
Labedz czarnodzioby
Portuguese:
Cisne-pequeno
Spanish:
Cisne silbón
Swedish:
Mindre sĺngsvan
For More Information...
Books and Monographs:
Rees, E. 2006 Bewick's Swan Poyser, London
[598.484 REE]
Rees, E. et al. 1997 BWP Update 1:63-74
Kear, J 2005 Ducks, geese and swans Oxford University Press
[598.48 KEA]
See Also:
All About Birds (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
Gough, G.A. et al. (1998) Patuxent Bird Identification Infocenter
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