| Black Swan: |
Scientific name: Cygnus atratus
Registered by Latham in 1790.
No subspecies recognized. |
| Distribution: |
Australia and Tasmania. Introduced in New Zealand. Feral individuals in Europe and Japan. |
| Movements: |
Sedentary. Displaces according to food abundance. |
| Habitat: |
Lakes and deposits of fresh water. Occasional on sea coast. |
| Behavior: |
Sociable. Concentrations of up to 70,000 individuals. |
| Nesting: |
Colonies.
Usually once a year. |
| Nesting Season: |
Rainy season (different time of the year according to location). |
| Nest: |
Small islands, on the aquatic grass, on lakes shores.
Accumulation of grass that can reach two meters wide by one high. |
| Clutch: |
From four to seven eggs, can be as many as ten. |
| Eggs: |
Light green. |
| Incubation: |
35 to 45 days. Both parents. |
| Cygnets: |
Born with white feathers. Later change to dark gray plumage.
Fly at six months of age. |
| Adulthood: |
At two years of age. |
| Food: |
Aquatic plants. |
| Description: |
Sexes are alike. |
| Plumage: |
Black. |
| Dimensions: |
Length from 1.2 to 1.4 meters (4 to 4 1/2 feet). |
| Weight: |
Male: average 6.3 Kg. (14 pounds) maximum 8.7 Kg. (19 pounds)
Female: average 5.1 Kg. (11 pounds) |
| Head: |
Small in proportion to the body. Covered with feathers. |
| Beak: |
Red with a white band.
Nostrils at the middle.
Medium size in proportion to the head. Wide and flattened. |
| Neck: |
Long. Covered with feathers. |
| Legs: |
Short. Dark gray. |
| Other names: |
| Spanish: | “Cisne Negro” |
| Portuguese: | “cisne preto” |
| French: | “Cygne Noir” |
| German: | “Trauerschwan” |
|
