The Mute Swan

Classification:Swans are white birds. They are flying birds and they live near water. A male swan is called a cob, a female is called a pen and a baby swan is called a cygnet.

Appearance:The mute swan is white and feathery with a long, graceful neck. Swans have long, orange beaks with a bit of black at the top of their beaks. Swans have white feathers. They have black webbed feet and short, black, skinny legs. They have an oval shaped body and a short, pointy tail.
The mute swan is Irelands biggest bird. When the male swan stands up it could be the size of a twelve year old girl.
When a swan is in the water, to dry it's wings it makes a loveheart shape with it's wings.

Habitat:Swans are water birds. All swans live near the water. They live near rivers, lakes, harbours, beaches, canals, or ponds. Swans sleep on land.
There is a colony of mute swans in Bray Harbour.

Diet:Swans are herbivore birds. This means they are mostly vegetarian.
Swans can be fed bread. Brown bread is healthier than white bread. They come out of the water when people give food to them.
They hunt for plants and drink water. Swans can use their long necks to reach water plants at depths of one meter.
They also graze on land and sometimes feed on amphibians, snails and insects.

Behaviour:Swans fly high in the sky. When swans get ready to fly, they flap their wings and run across the surface until they are ready to fly. When swans fly their wings beat powerfully and slowly with a swishing sound.
Swans have webbed feet to swim very gracefully, but they waddle when they walk.
Swans can be agressive and dangerous. They hiss and peck at each other. One reason for this is to clean each other, and another reason is for fighting. They are also territorial birds, which means they like to protect their own space.
Swans are not good pets.