Whooper Swan

Overview

Whooper Swan: Large, white swan with black and yellow bill; broad, yellow patch covers at least half of the upper mandible. Black legs and feet. Feeds by dipping head and neck in water. Eats invertebrates and aquatic plants. Strong direct flight with deep and steady wing beats. Flies in V formation.

Range and Habitat

Whooper Swan: Breeds mainly across northern Eurasia, including Iceland. Uncommon but regular in the winter on the outer Aleutian Islands; very rare elsewhere in Alaska.

INTERESTING FACTS

The Whooper Swan is the national bird of Finland. The global spread of H5N1, commonly known avian influenza or bird flu, reached the United Kingdom in April 2006 in the form of a dead Whooper Swan found in Scotland. The yellow markings on their bill are like human fingerprints; they are all different. Each individual bird can be recognized by their bill pattern. A group of swans has many collective nouns, including a "ballet", "bevy", "drift", "regatta", and "school" of swans.