Swans

Swan Species

The swan species are listed in alphabetical order – please click on links to go to the respective species pages, which provide detailed information and high-quality images.

Australian Black on the Water. Swan Species
Australian Black on the Water. Swan Species

Australian Black (Cygnus atratus)

Australia

Bewick’s Swans: Cygnus (columbianus) bewickii

The Eurasian form migrates from Arctic Russia to Western Europe and eastern Asia (China, Japan) in winter. It is often considered a subspecies of C. columbianus, creating the species Tundra Swan

Black-necked Swans: Cygnus melancoryphus

South America

Black Swans: Cygnus atratus

Australia and introduced in New Zealand

Coscoroba Swans: Coscoroba coscoroba

South America

Jankowski’s Swan (aka Whistling Swan, Bewick’s Swan, Alpheraky’s Swan)

The Eurasian form migrates from Arctic Russia to western Europe and eastern Asia (China, Japan) in winter. It is often considered a subspecies of C. columbianus, creating the species Tundra Swan

Mute Swans aka Common Swan, Wild Swan, Tame Swan (Cygnus olor): Cygnus olor

A common temperate Eurasian species, often semi-domesticated; descendants of domestic flocks are naturalized in the United States and elsewhere.

New Zealand Swans: Cygnus (atratus) sumnerensis, an extinct subspecies of the Black Swan

Formerly found in New Zealand and the Chatham Islands.

Two Black-necked Swans Swimming On The Lake Species of Swans
Two Black-necked Swans Swimming On The Lake Species of Swans

Trumpeter Swans: Cygnus buccinator

A North American species very similar to the Whooper Swan (and sometimes treated as a subspecies of it), which was hunted almost to extinction but has since recovered.

Tundra Swans / Whistling Swans

Whistling Swans / Tundra Swans

The Eurasian form migrates from Arctic Russia to western Europe and eastern Asia (China, Japan) in winter. It is often considered a subspecies of C. columbianus, creating the species Tundra Swan

Whooper Swans: Cygnus cygnus

Breeds in Iceland and subarctic Europe and Asia, migrating to temperate Europe and Asia in winter.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Gordon Ramel

Gordon is an ecologist with two degrees from Exeter University. He's also a teacher, a poet and the owner of 1,152 books. Oh - and he wrote this website.

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