Swans are birds of the family Anatidae within the genus Cygnus. The swans’ close relatives include the geese and ducks. There are six or seven species of swan in the genus Cygnus; in addition there is another species known as the coscoroba swan, although this species is no longer considered one of the true swans. Male swan and female swan called with a different name. So what is a female swan called? Let read the share article below of Viknews.com to find out the question.

What is a female swan called?

The English word ‘swan’, akin to the German Schwan, Dutch zwaan and Swedish svan, is derived from Indo-European root *swen (to sound, to sing). Young swans are known as swanlings or as cygnets. An adult male is a cob, from Middle English cobbe (leader of a group); an adult female is a pen.

Female swan feathers were considered to be the best for using as quills. That is where the name for a pen (as in pen and ink) came from. A small portable folding knife was needed so that the pen feathers could be sharpened as necessary and so a small folding portable knife became known as a penknife.

A pen usually breeds in late April to the beginning of May. She lays a white egg every other day until it totals between five to nine eggs. While she incubates them for over 30 days, the cob defends the nest against possible predators. The newly born cygnets take to the water after one to two days. The cygnets’ initial foods consist mainly of invertebrates and plants. Growing rather fast, they become fully feathered when they are nine to 10 weeks old and start flying once they are around 15 weeks old.

Interesting facts about the swan

Swans live for approximately 20 to 30 years

Some variations exist between the more common swan species. The trumpeter swan, which is the largest swan in North America, lives for an average of 24 years in the wild but has been known to live for 33 years in captivity. A mute swan lives for an average of 19 to 20 years; the tundra swan has a similar life span. The black swans of Australia and New Zealand, which have been introduced to North America and Europe, can live for up to 40 years in the wild.

The swan is found on both sides of the Equator across the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. The northern swan is generally white in color with an orange beak and the southern swan tends to be a mixture of white and black in color with red, orange or black beaks. Swans live in the following habitats: flooded grassland, Lakes and ponds, Rivers and streams and wetlands.

Swans are herbivores

Swans feed primarily on aquatic vegetation, with their long necks allowing them to feed on plants growing on river beds. They also eat small creatures such as molluscs that cling to the vegetation, and small fish, frogs and worms. Swans also will graze in fields, eating grass if it is available.

Swans usually mate for life

Swans usually mate for life, though “divorce” does sometimes occur, particularly following nesting failure, and if a mate dies, the remaining swan will take up with another. Bonded pairs tend to remain together year-round; however, outside the breeding season, they are highly social and often congregate with large numbers of other swans. During the breeding season, pairs will, however, aggressively defend their territories.

Swan’s Nest

Swans build their nests on land out of twigs and leaves, and the female swan lays between 3 and 9 eggs. The baby swans hatch out of their eggs after incubation of just over a month. Swan couple will guard their baby swans furiously from predators or any animal that she believes is a threat. After swans scare off the threat, they flap their wings and call to each other in celebration – sort of like a swan high-five!

A juvenile swan normally lives as part of a flock until it is about 4 years old and deemed as being an adult. It then seeks out a mate, most commonly from the flock it’s living in, and heads off with the mate to find their own mating territory. A baby swan is called a cygnet and a group of swans is called a bevy or a wedge in flight.

Due to their large size, swans have few natural predators in the wild. The swan’s main predator is the human who hunts the swan for its meat and it’s feathers. Other predators of the swan include wolves, raccoons and foxes they prey both on the swan itself but also on it’s eggs.

Before European explorers had reached Australia, it was believed that all swans were white. Dutch mariner, Antounie Caen, was the first to be amazed at the sight of Australia’s Black swans on the Shark Bay in 1636. Noted for their graceful movements in the water, they have been the subject of many poems, fairy tales, legends, and musical compositions.

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