1. Whooper swan – Cygnus Cygnus
The whooper swan is a large waterfowl with a body length of 140-165 cm, a wingspan of 200-230 cm, and a weight of 9-15 kg. The plumage of an adult is white, the beak is black, and there is a characteristic black crest on the neck. The whooper swan has a long neck and a powerful beak that helps it catch fish, mollusks and other aquatic animals.
Whooper swans are common in Eurasia and North America. In Ukraine, it nests throughout the territory, except for the Crimea.
The whooper swan is a migratory bird. It winters in Southern Europe, Africa and Asia.
The whooper swan nests on large lakes, ponds and rivers. The nest is built on shallow water, among reeds or other coastal vegetation.
There are 4-7 eggs in the clutch of the whooper swan. The eggs are incubated by the female and the male in turn. Chicks hatch after 36-42 days. After hatching, the chicks grow quickly and begin to fly after a few weeks.
The whooper swan feeds on fish, mollusks, insect larvae, and other aquatic animals.
The whooper swan is a fairly common species, but in some regions its numbers are declining. The reasons for this are pollution of water bodies, destruction of coastal plants and poaching.
In Ukraine, the whooper swan is listed in the Red Book as "Vulnerable".
Photo: Volodymyr Kucherenko