Black Swan

How to identify

Field marks

1. Black feathers overall, with white flight feathers exposed in flight
2. Bill bright red with a pale band and pale tip
3. Neck very long, often held in an S shape
4. Legs and feet gray-black

Male, female and young

Male slightly larger than female, with a straighter, longer bill; chicks gray-rufous.

Voice

Gives loud, bugle-like calls in flight or while swimming, as well as low, soft humming notes.

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: October–January · Most records: Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom

Black Swan has been recorded at 792 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 42 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

1. Western Treatment PlantAustralia9,285 records
2. Jerrabomberra Wetlands Nature ReserveAustralia7,851 records
3. Centennial ParkAustralia4,555 records

Countries and regions with the most records

AustraliaNew ZealandUnited KingdomUnited StatesChinaSingaporeSpainGermany

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The black swan (Cygnus atratus) is a large waterbird, a species of swan which breeds mainly in the southeast and southwest regions of Australia. Within Australia, the black swan is nomadic, with erratic migration patterns dependent on climatic conditions. It is a large bird with black plumage and a red bill.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions