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Swans

Wildfowl Page

Swan species

Regular UK swans

Mute Swan
Cygnus olor

Bewick's Swan
Cygnus columbianus

Whooper Swan
Cygnus Cygnus bewickii

Other swans worldwide

Black Swan
Cygnus atratus

Black-necked Swan
Cygnus melancoryphus

Trumpeter Swan
Cygnus buccinator

Tundra Swan
Cygnus columbianus

Swan

Jim Crumley

Encounters In The Wild

Saraband

2015

"In the encounters in the wild series, renowned nature writer Jim Crumley gets up close and personal with British wildlife: here, the swan. With his inimitable passion and vision, he relives memorable encounters with some of our best-loved native species, offering intimate insights into their extraordinary lives.

'The birches, the larches, the mountain grasses and the reed bed are all afire, sparkling after sleety rain and in fitful sunlight. It is as if nature has contrived its finest theatrical stage set and then turned up the colour. There are stags roaring, for it is the season of the red deer rut. There are golden eagles in the mountains, peregrines and ravens on nearby crags, and otters on the river. Every spring, reliably at the nesting season, the place floods spectacularly. I have come here to watch a pair of mute swans.'

The Swan: A Natural History

Malcolm Schuyl

2012

"Stunning photographs illustrate our new natural history of the swan, this much-loved creature of beauty and grace. Professional photographer Malcolm Schuyl has studied the swan for decades observing, researching and photographing it throughout its life-cycle. His lively and inspirational book covers the swan in all its stages: natural history and behaviour; breeding and courtship; raising their young; swan domestication and uses throughout history; the swan in literature, myth, music, superstition; and swan conservation and their future."

Swans: Their Biology and Natural History

Paul A. Johnsgard

2012

"The seven species of swans are an easily and universally recognised group of waterfowl, which have historically played important roles in the folklore, myths and legends in many cultures. Among the largest of all flying birds, they have been used as symbols of royalty, grace and beauty, and largely for these reasons, swans have only rarely been considered acceptable as targets for sports hunting. Swans occur on all continents but Africa, though most species are found in the temperate and arctic zones of North America and Eurasia. Swans are a long-lived species and are among the most strongly monogamous of birds, having prolonged pair and family bonds that influence their flocking and social behaviour, and contribute to the overall high degree of human interest in them. Swans: Their Biology and Natural History describes their distributions, ecology, social behaviour, and breeding biology. A bibliography of nearly 700 references is included."

International Single Species Action Plan for the Conservation of the Northwest European Population of the Bewick's Swan Cygnus columbianus bewickii

Compiled by Szabolcs Nagy, Nicky Petkov, Eileen Rees, Alexander Solokha, Geoff Hilton, Jan Beekman and Bart Nole

AEWA

2012

Prepared by Wetlands International and The Wildfowl & Wetland s Trust (WWT) with funding from The BBI-MATRA Programme of the former Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (currently Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation) and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

From the executive summary: "The Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus), of which the Bewick's Swan (Cygnus columbianus bewickii) is the Palearctic subspecies, has a global conservation status of Least Concern (BirdLife International 2010) . However, the status of the species is considered as Vulnerable in Europe (BirdLife International 2004). The species is included in Appendix II of the Convention on the Conservation of the European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Bern Convention), in Appendix II of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS or Bonn Convention). It is also listed in category A(3) c of the African Eurasian Waterbird Agreement and in Annex I of the EU Birds Directive."

Swan

Peter Young

Reaktion Books

2008

200 pages, 51 colour illustrations, 43 other illustrations

"Of more than 8,000 bird species, the swan is surely one of the most easily recognised. Airborne, the swan is a majestic sight: with its long, slender neck outstretched, it glides gracefully with slow, strong wing-beats. Its large webbed feet and short legs, which make it awkward on land, propel it serenely and effortlessly through water. "Swan" is a comprehensive natural and cultural history of this most dignified of birds. Peter Young relates the natural history of the swan: its elegant exterior concealing a lightweight frame; details of extinct species and the differences between the 8 surviving species; its power and endurance; its formation flying, which conserves energy and allows long-haul flights to be made at speed; its habitat and feeding habits. He also explores the extensive cultural history of the swan, from its frequent portrayal in painting, sculpture, porcelain and furniture; to its use in heraldry; the Greek myth of Leda and the Swan; and, Hans Christian Andersen's "The Ugly Duckling", and "Swan Lake". The book goes on to examine the uses and abuses of swans; questions of conservation; of the swan as food; and, its widespread use in logos and brand-names."

Bewick's Swan

Eileen Rees

Poyser

2006

A study of the Bewick's Swan. Subjects covered in this detailed work include population and distribution, breeding biology, wintering behaviour, food and feeding ecology, taxonomy and phylogeny, migration, and conservation. Personal recollections from a lifetime of study weave through the narrative.

The Whooper Swan

Mark Brazil

Poyser

2003

This book is an in-depth study at the Whooper Swan, investigating its biology, migratory habits, courtship and breeding behaviour. Also includes a section that examines the role of the bird in the folklore and legend of the countries where it occurs.

Waters of the Wild Swan

Jim Crumley

2003

Originally published by Jonathan Cape in 1991

"This book begins dramatically - a flight of eight mute swans occupying the entire width of the second floor level of a busy street in the centre of Edinburgh, bringing traffic to a halt. In England all mute swans belong to the Crown - in Scotland they are wild and of three varieties - the mute, the whooper swan and the Bewick swan. The author of this book has observed them all - the mute pair on a man-made pond that successfully raises eight cygnets year in and year out, the pair which valliantly tried three times to rear their young on a remote Highland loch, only to lose even the sole survivor and the gathering of 3000 whoopers on Loch Eyre in 1989 when there was unprecedented pondweed growth. The author also discusses swans in folklore and in literature and the need for severe penal legislation to outlaw the appalling things that are perpetuated on swans by certain members of the human race."

Company of Swans

Jim Crumley

The Harvill Press

2000

Swans in China

Ming Ma and Dai Cai

2000

English translation of a book originally published by China Meteorological Press, Beijing in 1993.

Swans of the World: In Nature, History, Myth and Art

A. Lindsay Price

1998

This book reviews the natural history of all the swan species providing information on mating, nesting, hatching, feathers, flight, migration, wintering, life span, and the effects of humans on swans. Also includes information on the role of the swan in folklore, history, art and literature. Illustrated with over 110 drawings, photographs.

Complete Waterfowl Studies: Geese and Swans, Vol. 3

Bruce Burk

1995

This book covers the goose and swan species of North America, plus the Nene Goose of Hawaii, the Barnacle Goose of Europe, the Red-Breasted Goose and Lesser White-Fronted Goose of Europe and Asia, and the Mute Swan which is native to Europe.

Swans

Dafila Scott

1995

A guide to the swans of the world. Includes information on their distribution, population sizes, breeding, migration, social behavior, and mortality, along with conservation and management issues. Also includes a chapter on the domestication of swans, and how they have been exploited them.

Where Are My Swans, Whooping Cranes, and Singing Loons?

Ron Hirschi

1992

Describes the lifestyle and habitat of the swan, whooping crane, and loon. Explains how the destruction of wetlands threatens their survival and what we can do to save them.

Waters of the Wild Swan

Jim Crumley

1992

Swan Song

Len Baker and Rina Milsom

1990

A book about swan rescue. Includes many black and white and colour photographs.

Swans

Teiji Saga

Introduction: Janet Kear

Rizzoli International Publications

1990

"Teiji Saga's passion for swans has led him to track their migration over half the globe during the past thirty years. Taken primarily on the island of Hokkaido, Japan, the color photographs in this book reveal the splendor of these incredible creatures. A native of Tokyo, Teiji Saga is an internationally recognized photographer. Janet Kear's introduction provides a fascinating counterpoint to Saga's photos, telling about the lives and habits of the whooper swan and describing swans in art and mythology."

Fogswamp: Living with Swans in the Wilderness

Trudy Turner and Ruth M. McVeigh

1989

Trudy Turner is the daughter of Ralph Edwards, a pioneer settler, who came to public attention in the early 20's when he spotlighted the plight of the Trumpeter Swans which were then in danger of extinction. He was appointed bird warden by the Canadian Wildlife Service. This work is now carried on by his daughter, Trudy. This book tells of their life on the isolated farm they built for themselves in the Chilcotin wilderness.

A Voice for the Mute Swan

Gail Glaser

1989

This book details the hazards that swans face and describes case histories of swans she has cared for in her capacity as a veterinary nurse. Provides suggestions as to how everyone can help the local swan population, especially in winter.

The Swans Fly In

Peter and Philippa Scott

1989

A 40 page booklet that focuses on Bewick Swan migration.

The Mute Swan

Mike Birkhead and Christopher Perrins

Christopher

1988

Describes the history, habitat, and range of the Mute Swan in Britain, explains why there is a decline in their population, and looks at their behavior and life cycle.

The Mute Swan

Janet Kear

1988

This book examines a number of aspects of Mute Swan natural history and its relationship with man. Includes colour and black and white photographs.

The Mute Swan

John Fair

1988

A 50 page study with colour plates.

Swans Of The World

Sylvia Bruce Wilmore

1974

Ann illustrated study of the worlds swans. Traces their evolution and provides information on behaviour and biology. Also describes their relationships with humans. Includes black & white photographs, maps and line drawings.

Swans

Peter Scott and The Wildfowl Trust

1972

A guide to all of the world's swan species. Includes a colour frontispiece and line drawings by Peter Scott and 48 black and white plates by Philipa Scott and Ted Jackson and many of the world's best wildfowl photographers.

The Trumpeter Swan: Its History, Habits, And Population In The United States

William E. Banko

North American Fauna, Number 63

Fish And Wildlife Service

US Department Of The Interior

1960

From the foreword:

The appeal of swans to man throughout history has come down to us in legend, custom and in many forms of art. That the world's largest species of this storied bird should have become nearly extinct in its native North America was thus especially tragic. The continuing recovery in numbers of this beautiful and graceful symbol of American wilderness is a major accomplishment in wildlife preservation. The establishment of the Red Rock Lakes Migratory Waterfowl Refuge was the climax of this effort in the United States, and any study of the trumpeter swan necessarily focuses on the Refuge and the adjoining country. In this magnificent mountainous setting a few of the swans had survived, and the remoteness of the country has made it possible to maintain the wilderness environment favored by the birds. The present United States population of trumpeters is found mainly in a 60-mile radius encompassing parts of southwestern Montana where the Refuge is found, eastern Idaho, and northwestern Wyoming, including Yellowstone National Park. This report on the trumpeter evolved from studies made from 1948 to 1957 when I served first as an assistant and later as manager, of the Red Rock Lakes Refuge. I have also drawn extensively on the records of the National Park Service, the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the National Museum in Washington, D. C. Other pertinent information bearing on the life history of the trumpeter swan in the United States has been extracted from published articles, unpublished reports and records, firsthand accounts and correspondence.

The Mute Swan In England: Its History, And The Ancient Custom Of Swan Keeping

Norman Frederic Ticehurst

1957

A history of the human use of the Mute Swan in English history.

Saga of Swans and Harrier over the Fen

Kenneth Richmond

1949

"This book. which contains two narratives of bird life, will delight the wildfowler, the bird watcher and the nature lover. Saga of Swans is largely the result of the authors's observations of a solitary Whooper Swan which spent two years on a Lincolnshire mere. during that time there were ample opportunities for studying the the swan at close quarters and of getting to know it as an individual and as a character. The life of the swan is pictured; his home life in Iceland; his flight with his family to the Outer Isles thence to Solway, the Northumbrian lochs, Derwentwater and Crowland Wash, and his sojourn there for two seasons with a pair of Mute Swans.

Harrier over the Fen describes the private life of one of the rarest of British breeding birds, the Marsh Harrier. Here too is a tale crowded in incident, yet with a background which is strictly authentic. This is a world of sedge and dyke, peopled by the skulking Bittern, the sly Rail and above all, floating like a spirit of the waters, the figure of Girriak, handsomest and most majestic of fenhawks'.