Size: Adults of this large swan typically range from 140 to 160 cm long, with a 200 to 240 cm wingspan.

Vocalisations: they make a variety of sounds, often described as “grunting, hoarse whistling, and snorting noises”. Mute swans usually hiss at competitors or intruders trying to enter their territory.

Habitat: Mute swans’ nest on large mounds that they build with waterside vegetation in shallow water on islands in the middle or at the very edge of a lake.

Behaviour: They feed on a wide range of vegetation, both submerged aquatic plants which they reach with their long necks, and by grazing on land. The food commonly includes agricultural crop plants such as oilseed rape and wheat, and feeding flocks in the winter may cause significant crop damage, often as much through trampling with their large webbed feet, as through direct consumption. It will also feed on small proportions of aquatic insects, fish and frogs. They are monogamous and often reuse the same nest each year, restoring or rebuilding it as needed. Male and female swans share the care of the nest. Mute swans lay from 4 to 10 eggs.
They spend winter in the Central and Western Europe. In Latvia, there are 600 – 800 couples.

Interesting and important facts: The name 'mute' derives from it being less vocal than other swan species. Swans, when snoozing, stand on the leg on the opposite side of the wing under which they hide their head. This is necessary to keep their balance. People often feed swans. Ornithologists believe that swans and mallards should not be fed by humans at all. Mallards and swans are migratory birds that should fly south in winter, but because people feed them, they are increasingly overwintering in Latvia, especially in cities. Swans get used to being fed very quickly and to such an extent that they do not fly away even if they are in danger of being frozen in ice. Ornithologists agree that white bread is not a healthy and complete food. It should also be taken into account that bread, which is not eaten by birds, pollutes the water and causes it to rot, which in turn causes algae to form, which is deadly for fish. This alga is also harmful to the birds themselves, who often fall ill because of it, while the rotting bread and algae make the water smell. You should also avoid feeding wafers, biscuits, crisps or sweets to the birds – this will do more harm than good! Feed birds with oats, wheat, other cereals, hard-boiled porridge (no sugar!), grated carrots, steamed vegetables such as broccoli or potatoes, maize, salad leaves, spinach.

Photo: Ligita Karvele, Gaļina Tararaka, Māris Kreicbergs