Whooper Swan

The Whooper Swan (Cygnus Cygnus) it belongs to the Anatidae family and populates the areas of Northern Europe, especially the Scandinavian Peninsula. In winter it migrates south to the coasts of the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea and the North Sea. The Whooper Swan (Cygnus Cygnus) has a strong and decisive character and the powerful and resonant voice is certainly more profound and playful than the Lesser Swan (Cygnus Columbianus). Their movements and their deeds, especially during the reproductive period are always accompanied by the verse so strong as to be perceived from considerable distances. Of the four Nordic swans, the Whooper Swan (Cygnus Cygnus) is the second largest and popular cultures their name comes close to immense and incredible vocal abilities. Species that prefer cold, almost polar climates, it loves brackish coastal water and sheltered inlets, often without outlet. The Whooper Swan (Cygnus Cygnus) feeds of invertebrates of all kinds, tubers and sprouds and, compared to other Nordic swans, it spends a lot of time on the mainland, especially in the fields of wheat, potatoes and stubble, where it grazes in small groups. Both members of the couple are involved in the construction of the nest which often takes place in the mainland a few meters from the water, near lagoons in wetlands. With the exception of Iceland and Artic Europe, this species almost always reproduces in the Boreal area, in the southern most area of the Tundra. The female lays 4/6 very large eggs of a light cream color. The little ones are very attached to both parents and are looked after with great care. When the icy waters of the north begin to freeze thousand of specimes migrate south and often the young are forced to move, given their young age, swimming across the ocean or in the best cases flying a few meters above the waves. They are really very difficult and arduous undertakings that involve a high juvenile mortality. The Whooper Swan (Cygnus Cygnus) has no sexual dimorphism, the shape of the head is angular, the forehead flattened and the very large beak is black and bright yellow that extends beyond the nostril. It is said that based on the color it is possible to understand with certainty the origin, in fact the Whooper Swan (Cygnus Cygnus) that populates the more eastern regions, where the yellow is lighter than lighter. The body of the Whooper Swan (Cygnus Cygnus) is very large and the erect and rigid neck is much longer than the so called “Lesser” swans. A species revered by the first Icelandic Vikings, it was believe to be blissful and with supernatural powers, it was halved in the early 1950s due to illegal hunting and egg looting. Over the years, thanks to human intervention, the situation has improved considerably and today it is not considered a species at risk to extinction.