Length: 58 inches | Wingspan: 7.5 feet | Seasonality: Wild birds unlikely |
ID Keys: All white plumage, black lores and black knob, orange bill. |
The Mute Swan is an
introduced species, brought from Europe as an "ornamental"
species. Escaped birds have established wild populations in
scattered locations across North America. Populations are generally
increasing, with locally dense populations in the East causing concern about
competition with native waterfowl. The South
Dakota Ornithologist's Union lists the Mute Swan as
"hypothetical" in their 1991 book "The Birds of South
Dakota". A free flying bird observed in 1988 may have been a tame
bird that had escaped.
Click on the range map for a higher-resolution view |
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South Dakota Status: Sightings of Mute Swans in South Dakota are generally assumed to be escapees or tame birds. |