About the Whooper Swan
The whooper swan, also known as the common swan, is a large northern hemisphere swan. It is the Eurasian counterpart of the North American trumpeter swan.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
The whooper swan is similar in appearance to Bewick's swan. It is larger, however, at a length of 140–165 centimetres (55–65 inches) and a wingspan of 205–275 cm (81–108 in). The weight is typically in the range of 7.4–14.0 kilograms (16+1⁄4–30+3⁄4 pounds), with an average of 9.8–11.4 kg (21+1⁄2–25+1⁄4 lb) for males and 8.2–9.2 kg (18–20+1⁄4 lb) for females. The verified record mass was 15.5 kg (34+1⁄4 lb) for a wintering male from Denmark. It is considered to be amongst the heaviest flying birds. Among standard measurements, the wing chord is 56.2–63.5 cm (22+1⁄8–25 in), the tarsus is 10.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
What the Whooper Swan sounds like
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in India, Luxembourg, Greenland, Albania, Guernsey.
When to see it
Peak activity in March · a variable species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Trumpeter SwanCygnus buccinatorThe trumpeter swan is the largest extant species of waterfowl, and both the heaviest and longest native bird of North America.
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusC. columbianus is the smallest of the Holarctic swans, at 115–150 cm (45–59 in) in length, 168–211 cm (66–83 in) in wingspan and a weight range of 3.4–9.6 kg (7.5–21.2 lb).
Black SwanCygnus atratusBlack swans are black-feathered birds, with white flight feathers.
Side by side: Mute Swan vs Whooper Swan · Trumpeter Swan vs Whooper Swan · Tundra Swan vs Whooper Swan · Black Swan vs Whooper Swan
Learn the Whooper Swan for real
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