Mute Swan

Cygnus olor

Graceful and imposing, the Mute Swan glides across lakes and ponds with its long neck held in an elegant S-curve and its orange bill pointed slightly downward. Originally native to Europe and Asia, introduced populations now thrive in North America. Despite its name, it is not truly silent — it hisses, grunts, and its wingbeats produce a distinctive thrumming in flight.