Listen to swans (.wav file)
*photo courtesy of Red Rock Lakes NWR
Biological Information:
Average Life Span: 12 years in the wild
Weight: 20-30 pounds Length: 40 inches Wing Span: 7 feet
Male: Cob Female: Pen Young: Cygnet
Food (Adults): Preferred diet of submergent aquatic plants (pondweed, waterweed) up to 20 lbs./day
Food (Cygnets): Insects and crustaceans for first month and then aquatic plants
Pairing: Start at 2 -3 years old and mate for life; will pair again if mate dies
Nest: Old muskrat houses, 6-7 feet in diameter, 2 feet above water line.
Eggs: 3-9 dull white eggs in early May and incubate for 5 weeks.