Mute Swan

A magnificent large waterfowl known for its majestic curved neck and pure white plumage. Adults possess an orange bill with a black knob at the base. They are powerful swimmers and strong fliers despite their heavy build.

Uniform snowy white throughout, with a pale whitish-grey central rachis. No banding or markings, characteristic of the pristine white plumage of adult swans.

Pennaceous at the distal tip with tightly interlocked barbs, transitioning proximally into a loose, plumulaceous downy structure with soft, unhooked barbs.

Soft and silky with a matte finish. The lower portion is exceptionally fluffy, while the upper vane feels smooth and relatively firm.

Pure stark white coloration, combined with a broadly rounded tip and a fluffy, downy base typical of large aquatic Anatidae body feathers.

Found in temperate regions on large freshwater lakes, ponds, slow-moving rivers, marshes, and sheltered coastal bays.

Native to temperate parts of Europe and Asia, and widely introduced across North America, Australia, and New Zealand as an ornamental park bird.

Herbivorous grazers that feed on submerged aquatic vegetation, helping to control plant growth and cycling nutrients in wetland ecosystems.

Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus) and Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator), whose body feathers are also white and virtually indistinguishable at the individual feather level.

Mute swans are one of the heaviest flying birds, sometimes weighing up to 15 kilograms. Despite their name, they are not completely mute and can make snorting, hissing, or grunting noises.

Good condition, clean white structure with intact barbs and no obvious fraying, staining, or parasitic damage.

Dalkeith