The Elegance And Loyalty Of The White Swan

The Elegance And Loyalty Of The White Swan 1

The Elegance And Loyalty Of The White Swan

Many people take a pair of white swan to make analogy of true love as they are very loyal and caring and without much talking protecting their partners in elegant way. White swan is indeed known as a graceful monogamous animal, and since they do not make much noise they are often called mute swan.


White swan or Cygnus olor is an aquatic bird that is widespread in Europe and Asia, and partly spreads to Australasia and Africa. This beautiful animal was first introduced scientifically by Johann Friedrich Gmelin, a naturalist from Germany in 1789.

White swan is a close relative of the black swan from the Australian region as well as the black neck swans that live in South America.


Physical Characteristics

The mute swan is one of the heaviest flying birds on earth, with an average weight for males between 10.6 to 11.87 kg, some can reach 15 kg, and for Polish male swans it can weigh around 23 kg even though the flying ability for swans as heavy as this is questionable.

All mature mute swan is pure white, although there may be a little brownish yellow stain on the head and neck because of the iron and tannin substances in the water. But for young swans or cygnets not yet white at the beginning of their lives, their fur is blackish gray. At the age of 3 months cygnets have reached almost the same size as adult swans, but their colors will gradually turn white when they are at least one year old.

Nature And Behavior

Although it is a close relative of the black swan, the white swan has a different behavior. They are more territorial when defending their nests and protecting their spouses and families. Although famous for being quiet, they can hiss and be ready to attack aggressively when they see a threat. Usually they attack with their strong wings and also peck the enemy thanks to their long flexibel necks.

And since the male white swan is rather over-protective, he can go out of his territory to drive off the enemy or anything that is considered a threat. Sometimes they also don’t hesitate to attack small watercraft like canoes or small boats.


Cygnets will hatch from their eggs around May and July each year, or in spring. Female swans incubate the eggs for about 36 days, and one female usually lay eggs of 4 to 10 pieces each time.

Check Also


+62 812 3969 077 Click Here

Then Send your WhatsApp!