Mute
SwanMute Swan -- South Dakota Birds
| Length: 58 inches | Wingspan: 7.5 feet | Seasonality: Status unknown |
| ID Keys: Size, All white plumage, black lores and black knob, orange bill. | ||
Mute
Swan
Cygnus olor
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.
Habitat: Wide variety of aquatic habitats, including ponds, lakes, marshes, sloughs, and parks. Even wild populations are often found in close association with human settlements, but some are established in remote locations.
Diet: Mostly the seeds, leaves, and roots of aquatic plants. Will also feed on waste grain, grasses and sedges, insects, mollusks, and small fish.
Breeding: Probable non-breeder in South Dakota
Song: Generally silent, but does have a variety of grunts and hisses.
Migrations: Status unknown in the state, but northern populations generally do move south in the fall.
Similar Species: Trumpeter Swan, Tundra Swan
Further Information: 1) USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter, Mute Swan
2) Cornell University's "All About Birds - Mute Swan"
Photo Information: May 9th, 2004 -- Arrowhead Park east of Sioux Falls -- Terry Sohl
Additional Photos: Click on the image chips or text links below for additional, higher-resolution Mute Swan photos.
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| South Dakota Status: Sightings of Mute Swans in South Dakota are generally assumed to be escapees or tame birds. |
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Please mail any comments/suggestions/additional links for this page to: Terry L. Sohl
This page was last edited on 02/03/08
