Mute Swan
Latin: Cygnus olor (Gmelin 1789)
Svenska: Knölsvan
Deutsch: Höckerschwan
Silent swan?
Compared to the whooper swan, the mute swan is quite quiet. When the mute swan flaps its wings, though, it produces a beautiful whistling noise. The mute swan is a herbivore and mostly eats aquatic plants, but it will sometimes go ashore and eat grass.
A small number of mute swans have lived in Uppland since the Viking age. It became more common during the end of the 19th century, and in 1994, 1500 mute swans were counted. If you want to see a mute swan, you should head to Övre Föret or Hjälstaviken between April and September.
Mute swans migrate to the coasts of southern Sweden, Denmark, and the North Sea countries. Some birds spend the winter in Uppland, but only in coastal areas free of ice.
Photo: Adrian Pingstone©
Latest sightings of mute swans in Uppland
NatureGate on the mute swan
Wikipedia article on the mute swan