The British Isles are home to three types of swans: Mute (Cygnus olor), Bewick’s (Cygnus columbianus bewickii) [aka Tundra], and Whooper (Cygnus cygnus). The Mute Swan is a permanent resident and is relatively easy to identify. Every winter, they are joined by upwards of 30,000 Whooper Swans and 7000 Bewicks Swans arriving from the North to escape the harsher winters. In this guide, we will show you how to tell the difference between all three of these beautiful birds.
Family: Anatidae
Biometrics
The Mute Swan is the largest of the three birds. Growing up to 1.5m in length, with a wingspan of 2.2m and weighing up to 11.5kg. At the other end of the scale is the Bewick’s. Growin up to 1.2m in length with a wingspan of 1.9m and a weight of up to 7kg. The Whooper is somewhat similar to the Mute. Growing up to 1.5m in length, with a wingspan of up to 2.3m, and weighing up to 9.3kg.
This information doesn’t help with identifying the bird species, though, unless you happen to see them all side by side. Therefore, it is better to look for other clues.
Bill Shape & Color
Both the Whooper & Bewicks Swan have black and yellow bills, so if the bird you are looking at has a black and orange bill, then it’s a Mute Swan. Additionally, the Mute Swan has a distinctive bulbous protusion; called a basal knob at the top of its bill. In much of Europe, the Mute Swan is called a Knob Swan for this very reason.
If you have asserted that the bird you are looking at has a black and yellow bill, you need to take a closer look at the patterning of the yellow. The yellow on the Bewick’s, illustrated below-left, tends to only extend down to the nostrils. Also, the shape of the yellow tends to end more bluntly at the nostrils. On the other hand, the yellow on the Whooper Swan’s bill illustrated below-right tends to extend past the nostrils and is a more pointed or wedged shape pattern. Note also, that the Bewick’s tends to have some yellow markings at the base of the bill, though this can be difficult to distinguish, especially if the bird you are looking at is some distance away.
The Whooper Swan’s bill is also somewhat flatter and less curved than the Bewick’s, although this is not a reliable distinguisher.
Bewick’s Swan
Head Shape & Deportment
Another way to differentiate between the Bewick’s and the Whooper is by taking a closer look at the shape of their heads. The Bewick’s Swan head shape is much shorter and rounder than either the Whooper or the Mute Swan. So much so, that they almost look like large geese as opposed to swans.
The Bewick’s neck is often held much straighter, giving them a less relaxed look compared to either the Whooper Swans or Mute Swans, which tend to hold their necks in a more rounded shape.
Environment
Both the Whooper and Bewick’s Swans frequently occur in large numbers and are often seen feeding on land as opposed to water which the Mute Swan favors. The exception to this is some of the large wetland sites in the UK, where all three species of swans can be seen in the water.
Cygnets
The cygnets of Mute Swans start fluffy grey and then gradually turn more dappled brown in color. Whereas, the cygnets of Bewick’s and Whooper swans tend to be more uniformly smoky gray without any other patterning. This is obvioulsy, not useful if you are trying to distinguish whether you are looking at a Whooper or Bewick’s swan, in which case it is usually better to keep an eye out for the cygnet’s parents.
Calls
Both Bewick’s and Whooper swans have graceful, bugling honks, with Whooper swans adopting a slightly deeper tone. The Mute swans, contrary to their name, are quite vocal and spend much of their time communicating with coarse grunts.
Mute Swan
Mute Swan call:
Jose Ignacio Molina xeno-canto.org
Whooper Swan
Whooper Swan call:
Jose Ignacio Molina xeno-canto.org
Bewick’s Swan
Bewick’s Swan call:
Jose Ignacio Molina xeno-canto.org
