Whooper Swan

Adult

Juvenile

Adult

Adult

Pair of adults

Group of juveniles

The Whooper Swans` name in latin literally means `Swan swan`. The `swaniest` of swans is the other migratory wild swan we get in the U.K. in the winter months. They breed on the tundra in Iceland and northern Scandinavia and arrive on our shores in October and leave before the middle of April.

They are larger than the Bewick`s Swan, but smaller than the Mute Swan. One way to tell this bird apart from its` cousin the Bewick`s (apart from its` size) is the amount of yellow on the bill. On the Whooper this yellow extends further along the bill, beyond the nostrils, where the Bewick`s marks end before the nostrils. Although, having said that, some birds differ and have less yellow! Every birds bill markings are unique and this is used to tell each bird apart in the absence of a leg ring. You will see in the photos above that a few are of the same adult if you look at the yellow bill markings. The birds in these photos are most probably a family group as the young do stay with their parents for their first autumn and winter.