Whooper swan

Facts

IUCN LEAST CONCERN (LC)

Facts about this animal

A large swan, but somewhat smaller than the mute and the trumpeter swan. It has a total length of 140-160 cm and a wingspan of 205-235cm. The average weight of males of the nominate subspecies is 10.8 kg, of females 8.1 kg. Whistling (C. c. columbianus), Bewick’s (C. c. bewickii), and Jankowski’s (C. c. jankowskii) swans are clearly smaller.

The female lays 3 to 6 white eggs, in a very large nest near water. The eggs are incubated typically for 31-32 days, in the smaller subspecies 29-32 days, exclusively by the female.

Did you know?
that whooper swans form pair bonds when they are three or four years old? The pair stays together throughout the year, moving together in migratory populations. Whoopers are assumed to mate for life, but some individuals do switch mates over their lifetimes.

Factsheet
Class	AVES
Order	ANSERIFORMES
Suborder	ANSERES
Family	ANATIDAE
Name (Scientific)	Cygnus cygnus
Name (English)	Whooper swan
Name (French)	Cygne chanteur
Name (German)	Singschwan
Name (Spanish)	Cisne cantor
Local names	Czech: Labut zpevná Dutch: Wilde zwan Estonian: Laululuik Finnish: Laulujoutsen Greek: Agriókyknos Hungarian: Énekes hattyú Italian: Gigno selvatico Polish: labedz-ktzykliwy Portugiese: Cisne-bravo Romansh: Cign selvadi Swedish: Sångsvan
CITES Status	Not listed
CMS Status	Appendix II (as Anatidae spp.). Included in AEWA

Photo Copyright by
Vladimír Motyčka

Distribution

Distribution
Range	Breeds throughout Eurasia and Iceland. In the western Palearctioc, there are four distinctz breeding populations: a) Iceland, United Kingdom and Ireland b) NW mainland Europe c) N Europe, W Siberia, Black Sea and est Mediterranean c) W and C Siberia and Caspian area Winters in the United Kingdom NW Europe, C Europe, Asia Minor, N India, China, Japan and the Koreas.
Habitat	A variety of freshwater habitats, including riverine wetlands, lakes, ponds, and marshes.
Wild population	The global population is estimated to be 180,000 individuals by Wetlands International (2002).
Zoo population	82 speciemens 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
Andreas Trepte

Why do zoos keep this animal

The whooper swan is not a threatened species. Zoos keep them for educational purposes e.g. in themed Eurasian wetland exhibits, and as an ambassador species for wetland conservation.

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 swans 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.

Whooper 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.