What’s that swan? Your guide to the UK’s swan species

• The UK’s largest swan
• Long, graceful neck, usually held in an elegant S-shape
• Bright orange beak, with a large black knob that’s bigger in males
• Adults are white, juveniles are grey-brown with a dull pinkish beak

Despite their name, Mute Swans aren’t actually silent. They often grunt softly while feeding and will hiss loudly if disturbed – especially when protecting their young. While flying, their wings make a dramatic whooshing sound, so you might hear them coming before you see them!

Mute Swans spend much of their day searching for food, dipping their heads underwater and sometimes tipping forwards so that only their tail feathers poke up above the surface. They feed mainly on aquatic plants, but also graze on grass in nearby fields and meadows.

Each spring, pairs perform a beautifully synchronised courtship display out on the water, bowing to each other with wings held aloft, before entwining their necks, often forming a heart shape.

Together, the pair builds an impressive nest from reeds and other plant material, usually hidden among waterside vegetation. The female lays a clutch of four to seven eggs, which she incubates while her partner stands guard.

Mute Swans live in the UK all year round.

Mute Swans are widespread across the UK and you could see one on almost any stretch of fresh water, including lakes, rivers, canals and urban park ponds.

• The UK’s smallest swan
• Shorter, straighter neck than a Whooper Swan
• Black and yellow beak – but with less yellow than a Whooper Swan
• Young birds have a pinkish beak
• Adults are white, juveniles are pale grey
• Head is more rounded than a Whooper’s

Bewick’s Swans have a soft, bugling call that’s more musical than a Whooper’s. They’re very vocal birds and families will call to each other while flying, to ensure they don’t get separated.

During migration, Bewick’s Swans travel in close-knit family groups and cygnets learn the route, as well as important stopover and feeding sites, from their experienced parents. Some youngsters stick close to their parents for several years, until they find a partner of their own.

Once in the UK, these Arctic visitors roost on open water overnight, then venture out to feed on leftover crops in nearby fields during the day. They also eat aquatic plants, like pondweed.

Bewick’s Swans breed on the tundra of Siberia. With the Arctic summer lasting only a few short months, they face a race against time to raise their chicks before winter closes in. The pair builds a nest together, and the female lays three to five eggs, which both parents help to incubate.

Bewick’s Swans usually start arriving in the UK from November and depart in February and March.

For the best chance of seeing them, head to the wetlands and low-lying farmland of eastern England and the Severn Estuary. The RSPB’s Ouse Washes and Nene Washes nature reserves in Cambridgeshire are great places to spot them.

• Adults are white, juveniles are pale grey
• Long, slim neck – usually held with a slight curve near the base
• Bright yellow beak with a black tip – the yellow forms a triangular patch (a bit like a wedge of cheese!) that extends past the nostrils
• Young birds have a pink and black beak
• Compared to a Bewick’s Swan, the Whooper has a longer beak with more yellow, and is larger overall

Whooper Swans have a call that’s hard to miss – imagine a child trying to play the trumpet and you’re not far off! They often call while flying in groups, creating a lively, tooting chorus, that sounds a bit like an out-of-tune brass band playing overhead.

During the day, Whooper Swans often gather in fields to nibble grass and feast on leftover potatoes and grain. As evening approaches, they head back to wetlands, where they feed on aquatic plants and roost out on the open water overnight.

The vast majority of Whooper Swans nest on the tundra in Iceland and Scandinavia, but some pairs have been recorded breeding in the UK, particularly in Shetland and the Outer Hebrides. They build their nest on the ground and the female lays three to five eggs.    

Whooper Swans usually start arriving in the UK in October and leave again in March and April.

Their size and loud calls make Whooper Swans easier to find than many winter visitors to the UK, but you’ll need to head to the right places – mainly wetlands and fields in Ireland, Scotland, northern England and East Anglia.

Top spots to see them include RSPB Loch of Strathbeg in Aberdeenshire, Loch Leven in Perth and Kinross, Ouse Washes in Cambridgeshire and Portmore Lough in County Antrim.

Male swans are known as cobs and females are called pens. Young swans are cygnets.

A group of swans is usually called a flock, but there are some more unusual names too. A gathering of swans on land is known as a bevy, while a V-shaped formation of swans in flight is called a wedge.

Swans are mainly vegetarian. They feed on aquatic plants, grasses and other vegetation growing in wetlands. They'll also graze in fields and eat leftover crops, such as grain and potatoes. While most of their diet is plant-based, they occasionally eat small aquatic animals, such as insects and snails.

Absolutely. In fact, they’re some of the heaviest flying birds in the world, with the average male Mute Swans tipping the scales at over 10.5kg. Because of their weight, they need a long runway for take-off. You’ll often see them pattering across water while beating their wings rapidly, to build up enough speed and lift.

Once airborne, Whooper and Bewick’s Swans can travel thousands of miles during migration.

If they make it to adulthood, swans typically live for about nine to 10 years. But the oldest known Mute Swan reached the grand old age of 40!

Many Swans form long-lasting pair bonds and remain with the same partner for life, which is why they're often seen as a symbol of love and devotion. Working as a team, pairs defend their territory, build a nest and raise their cygnets together. However, if one bird dies or a pair fails to breed successfully, they may find a new mate.

• It depends on the species. Mute Swans, which live in the UK all year round, usually begin nesting in spring. Whooper and Bewick's Swans are winter visitors, so they leave the UK before the breeding season starts and travel north to nest in Iceland, Scandinavia and Siberia. Their cygnets hatch during the short summer season, before the return of colder weather.