Swan Protects Her Eggs

by Kathy White

Title

Swan Protects Her Eggs

Artist

Kathy White

Medium

Photograph - Photography--greeting Cards Or Notes Are Cheaper By The Dozen!

Description

I love Swans! They are so beautiful and so graceful! A Swan's grace is shown in their beautiful posture, their gorgeous white fluffy wings, their graceful long neck, and the stark contrast of their facial marking of bright orange and black against the white of their bodies. We saw this swan on a small lake in Dallas, Texas. At first we wondered why she seemed to want to only stay right there on the ground and why she wasn't going out into the water. I walked all around her as she carefully and thoroughly watched my every movement. She showed no aggression toward me....she just wanted to know exactly where I was at all times. Later, my husband spotted her nest of eggs she was being so careful to protect! It was very clear to us then..this "Swan Protects Her Eggs".
She is a large waterfowl, appearing to be duck like, just on a much larger scale. She has a long curved neck with an orange bill and a black face. Her legs are gray or pinkish. They are actually known for their aggressiveness and when my husband got a little too close, she stood up and took a couple steps toward him. But she was still cautious and when she saw he meant no harm, she calmed down.
A native of northern and central Eurasia, the Mute Swan was introduced into North America to grace the ponds of parks and estates. Escaped individuals have established breeding populations in several areas, where their aggressive behavior threatens native waterfowl. Even though they have a reputation of being aggressive, they give me such a calming feeling, a sense of serenity as they graceful float about.
The Mute Swan is reported to mate for life. However, changing of mates does occur infrequently, and swans will remate if their partner dies. If a male loses his mate and pairs with a young female, she joins him on his territory. If he mates with an older female, they go to hers. If a female loses her mate, she remates quickly and usually chooses a younger male.
The black knob at the base of the male Mute Swan's bill swells during the breeding season and becomes noticeably larger than the female's. The rest of the year the difference between the sexes is not obvious.
The Mute Swan prefers shallow coastal ponds, estuaries, ponds, bogs, and streams flowing into lakes. They feed on aquatic plants and some aquatic animals. The swan will nest an open bowl in a large mound of aquatic vegetation, grasses, and rushes, lined with softer vegetation and a little down. Usually placed on mound on bank, island, or reed bed, they lay one to eleven eggs. The eggs are large and Blue-green when laid, turn white, then brown with staining.
When born the hatchlings are covered with down and their eyes are open. They leave the nest within 24 hours of hatching and have the ability to swim and feed.
Even though their name is Mute Swan, their sounds are not mute. But their calls are quiet and do not carry, making a snorting "heorrr." They do hiss aggressively. Their wings make a singing noise in flight.

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April 21st, 2014

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