Coscoroba swan

Facts

IUCN LEAST CONCERN (LC)

Facts about this animal

A small swan with a body-weight of about 4.6 kg in males and 3.8 kg in females, and a total length of 87.5-112.5 cm. The plumage is entirely white.

The female lays 4 to 7 creamy-white eggs, in a bulky ground nest near water, lined with much down for a swan. The eggs are incubated for 35-40 days exclusively by the female.

. The food of coscoroba swans includes various plants, aquatic insects, fish spawn and at times small crustaceans.

Factsheet
Class	AVES
Order	ANSERIFORMES
Suborder	ANSERES
Family	ANATIDAE
Name (Scientific)	Coscoroba coscoroba
Name (English)	Coscoroba swan
Name (French)	Cygne coscoroba
Name (German)	Koskorobaschwan
Name (Spanish)	Cisne coscoroba
Local names	Brasil: Coscoroba, Apororoca
CITES Status	Appendix II
CMS Status	Appendix II (as Anatidae spp.)

Photo Copyright by
Adrian Pingstone

Distribution

Distribution
Range	Southern cone of South America: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Falkland Islands, Paraguay, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Uruguay
Habitat	Freshwater wetlands, including bogs, marshes, swamps, fens, peatlands, ponds, dams and lakes.
Wild population	The global population is estimated to be 10,000-25,000 individuals by Wetlands International (2002).
Zoo population	199 reported to ISIS (2006).

In the Zoo

How this animal should be transported

For air transport, Container Note 17 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations should be followed.

Find this animal on ZooLex

Photo Copyright by
Luis Argerich

Why do zoos keep this animal

The coscoroba swan is not a threatened species but it os of educational interest because it is a taxonomic conundrum. It is swanlike overall, but its honking voice and gooselike head make it somewhat indistinguishable. Its bill looks like a duck and it is the only swan with offspring that look like tree ducks. Some scientists, who believe it to be a member of the swans, think there is a link either between swans and true geese, or between swans and whistling ducks.

Coscorobas display typical swanlike threats that involve lifting their folded wings to make them appear larger. Aggressive wing flapping is also a typical threat. Unlike typical swans, coscorobas are not known to have a triumph ceremony. Such ceremonies are when a male attacks a rival suitor, then returns to his potential mate to perform an elaborate ceremony while posturing and calling.

How this animal should be kept

Unless a lot of space is available allowing the birds to disperse, pairs should be separated during the breeding season in an enclosure or aviary with a recommended land surface of 200 m² and a water surface of 80 m². For the rest of the year, the coscorobas may be kept in larger social groups. If kept in multispecies waterfowl exhibits, the species should be selected in a way to avoid hybridisation. Note that WAZA has adopted the policy of outphasing pinioning, and that several countries prohibit the use of surgical methods for flight restraint.

Coscoroba swans need access to grass for food. Supplementary feeding, in the form of pellets can be a substitute in the winter months, when grass levels are low. All food stored must be kept in a dry condition. If it becomes damp it should not be used. It is important that the food fed is fresh. If food is fed into water, only as much as will be readily eaten should be given. All feed containers in pens should be cleaned regularly. Grit should be available on a regular basis, and additional limestone grit should be fed on available annually, just prior to the egg-laying season.