Latin name
Cygnus columbianus
Family
Swans, ducks and geese (Anatidae)
Where to see them
They're found mainly in eastern England, around the Severn estuary and in Lancashire. The Ouse and Nene Washes (Cambridgeshire), Martin Mere (Lancashire) and Slimbridge (Gloucestershire) are good places to see Bewick's swans.
When to see them
Bewick's swans arrive in the UK in mid-October after breeding in Siberia. They spend the winter here in our comparatively warm climate, before departing in March.
What they eat
In the UK, Bewick's swans feed in fields on leftover potatoes and grain. On their breeding grounds they eat aquatic plants and grass.
Population
| Europe | UK breeding* | UK wintering* | UK passage* | | >23,000 birds (winter) | - | 7,000 birds | - |