Mute Swan
Kingdom: Animalia, Phylum: Chordata, Class: Aves, Order: Anseriformes, Family: Anatidae, Genus: Cygnus, Species: Cygnus olor · Anatidae (Ducks, Geese, and Swans) · Contour / Semiplume
Species
Cygnus olor
Feather Type
Contour / Semiplume
Family
Anatidae (Ducks, Geese, and Swans)
Shape
Broadly rounded and curved; symmetrical vane with a blunt tip.
Size
Approximately 4-6 cm (1.5-2.5 inches) long; relatively short and broad compared to large flight feathers.
Rarity
Common; Mute Swans are a familiar sight and widely distributed throughout the UK.
Color & Pattern
Pure, brilliant white throughout including the shaft; absence of melanin-based pigmentation.
Barb Structure
Plumulaceous (downy) at the base transition to a loose pennaceous structure at the tip; soft and not tightly interlocked.
Texture & Surface
Soft, silky, and slightly velvety; has water-repellent (hydrophobic) properties typical of waterfowl.
Description
A snowy white body feather from the Mute Swan, one of the world's heaviest flying birds known for its elegant S-curved neck and orange bill with a black knob.
Key Features
Pure white color, soft texture, small to medium size, and extreme curvature often seen in body feathers of large waterfowl.
Habitat
Found in both freshwater and brackish habitats including lakes, ponds, slow-moving rivers, and coastal estuaries in Cornwall.
Geographic Range
Native to much of Eurasia; widely resident in the United Kingdom, including year-round presence in Cornwall.
Condition Notes
Good; shows some slight fraying at the edges consistent with natural molting and environmental exposure.
Interesting Facts
Mute Swans are famous for their supposed 'swan song' and for being the property of the Crown in certain parts of the UK historically.
Ecological Role
Large herbivore that grazes on aquatic vegetation; can act as an ecosystem engineer by affecting macrophyte density.
Similar Species
Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus) or Bewick's Swan; feathers are nearly identical but these species are usually winter visitors rather than year-round residents.
Notes
Cornwall