Whooper swan  (Cygnus cygnus)

The whooper swan is a winter visitor to Britain. Its common name refers to the loud ‘whooping’ calls that it produces (5). This large white swan tends to hold its neck erect whilst swimming (3). In spring and summer, some adults may develop rusty ‘stained’ plumage on the neck and head caused by the iron-rich water on which they live (6). It can be distinguished from the smaller Bewick’s swan in that the wedge-shaped yellow colouration of the bill extends beyond the nostrils, with the rest of the bill being black; in Bewick’s swans the yellow patch is small and rounded (2). Juveniles have greyish brown plumage and a pink and black bill (2).