What are facts about tundra swans?

Answer 1

The tundra swan has a completely white plumage. Sometimes, their heads and necks have a rusty color and that's because during feeding, they are exposed to ferrous minerals and that causes stains to make the color look rusty. Tundra swans usually have a black bill with a yellow spot at the base. They have black legs and feet and will commonly have a brown iris. Although both sexes are similar in appearance, the male is typically a little larger than the female. The average length of a male tundra swan is 52 inches weighing in at approximately 16 pounds and females will typically be 50 to 51.5 inches and will weigh around 13 pounds both with wingspans of about 85 inches.
Tundra swans feed on shallow waters. They will feed on aquatic plants by immersing their head and neck. They mostly feed on widgeon grass, sago and clasping leaf pondweeds and wild celery but from time to time they will eat waste grain like corn and soybean.
Tundra swans nest on shores and islands or hummocks found near lakes, ponds, or marshes. They will lay an average of 5 eggs and take at least 32 days to incubate them while the males guard the nest. During their breeding season, the tundra swan will sleep mostly on land but during the winter they will sleep mostly on the water. Because they usually nest on the tundra, their nests are especially vulnerable to predators like weasels, foxes, and gulls. Sometimes, they'll attempt to fight off these smaller predators. However, humans, wolves, and bears are predators that are too big to fight off. Most incubating swans leave their nests when these sort of larger predators are farther away. The parents may make the nest harder to find by leaving quickly.
The tundra swan will typically stay in flocks unless it's breeding territory. Most swans do spread out while breeding. However, a portion may still be found in flocks. These swans are not breeding. They are usually the younger birds who do not breed yet, they can be the older pairs whose breeding attempts have failed, or the adults that have bred in the past but for some reason do not breed in that year.
The tundra swan used to be called the whistling swan, and that name came from the sound made by the slow but powerful beating of their wings during flight. They fly in a v-formation, and they have the capabilities to fly up to 100 miles an hour with a tail wind. A group of tundra swans are sometimes referred to as a Ballet, a bevy, a drift, a regatta, or a school of swans.
They are strong, speedy swimmers. They take off into the air with a running start.