It’s March break – an ideal time to get outside with children to enjoy nature. Of course, we highly recommend including Mute Swans in outings this week! Here is information about what you might see as well as tips for enjoying swans.
At this time of year, there may still be flocks of swans on the water. Swans fly as far south as they have to to find open water in winter, and they may not have headed back to their home territories yet. You can tell males (cobs) from females (pens) because the cobs are slightly larger and have bigger knobs, which are the fleshy black bulbs at the top of their beaks. Some of last year’s juveniles will still have some grey/brown feathers. See if you can tell the males from the females and the adults from the youngsters.
Also at this time of year, paired Mute Swans will be looking to start a nest and will be defending their nesting territories from the swans who visited during the winter. If you see one swan chasing others it is likely the resident cob. His mate, the pen, might join the chase but if not, she will be the one who is just going about her business. If you observe this type of behaviour, see if you can tell who the cob is, who the pen is, and who the intruders are.
Keeping their feathers clean is a big job for swans because they have 25,000 of them! You may see them preening or even taking a splashy bath. Watch for these activities.
If there is snow or mud near the waterfront, see if you can identify different birds’ footprints. Swans are the biggest waterfowl so theirs will be the largest prints.
Mute Swans are not mute. If you have the chance to get close to them, listen for the sounds they make. They may grunt to each other or to people they know. They may purr. Grunting and purring are sometimes accompanied by head bobs, which are greetings. They may hiss or bark if they spot danger.
In all interactions it is important to be respectful of them as wild animals. Give them space, ensure companion animals are on a leash, and never reveal the location of nests if you find them.
Swans are a delight to watch, and you can really get to know them by observing their appearance and behaviours. Enjoy them on March break and beyond!