Mute Swan

A magnificent, large white waterfowl with a long S-shaped neck and an orange bill with a black knob. Adult plumage is entirely white. This small feather is a tiny part of the 25,000+ feathers that insulate these 10-12kg birds.

Pure snowy white across the entire vane and rachis. There are no markings, banding, or iridescence, which is typical for adult Mute Swans.

Mixed: The distal (top) part is pennaceous but loose, while the proximal (bottom) part is highly plumulaceous (downy) for insulation.

Extremely soft, silky, and lightweight. The surface has a matte appearance with a slightly oily/waxy coating (preen oil) for water repellency.

Pure white color, small size, prominent downy base for insulation, and lack of any pigment or structural color patterns.

Common in Cornwall's lakes, ponds, slow-moving rivers, and coastal estuaries. They prefer areas with abundant submerged aquatic vegetation.

Native to Euro-Siberia; extremely common resident throughout the British Isles including Cornwall. Generally non-migratory but may move to coastal waters in harsh winters.

Primary herbivore in aquatic ecosystems; they control aquatic weed growth but can be aggressive toward other waterfowl during nesting season.

Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus) feathers are identical but the bird is a winter visitor; white domestic goose feathers are similar but often stiffer; White Egret feathers are more elongated.

Mute Swans are famous for 'busking' (raising their wings in a threat display). In the UK, they are historically associated with the Crown, and the Monarch retains a right of ownership over all unmarked mute swans in open water.

Good condition; likely a naturally molted feather. The slight fraying at the tip suggests it may have been shed during a regular molt cycle.

Cornwall