Photo: Pascal Aleixandre / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Waterbirds

Whooper Swan

Cygnus cygnus

Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus) — Ducks, Geese & Swans of Europe & Northern Asia.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 18 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Alberta Birds of British Columbia Birds of New Brunswick Birds of Newfoundland and Labrador Birds of Ontario Birds of Quebec Birds of Yukon Territory Birds of England Birds of Bedfordshire Birds of Buckinghamshire

By family

Ducks, Geese & Swans of Alberta Ducks, Geese & Swans of British Columbia Ducks, Geese & Swans of New Brunswick Ducks, Geese & Swans of Newfoundland and Labrador Ducks, Geese & Swans of Ontario Ducks, Geese & Swans of Quebec Ducks, Geese & Swans of Yukon Territory Ducks, Geese & Swans of England

See what's near you right now

The Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus) is a member of the Anatidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 9.3 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Anseriformes
Family Anatidae Ducks, Geese, Swans
Genus Cygnus
Species cygnus

Where it lives

Northern Eurasia

Europe & Northern Asia

Quick facts

Weight: 9.3 kg
Diet: Aquatic plant-eaters
Family: Anatidae
Order: Anseriformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Whooper Swan feeds mainly on aquatic plants and algae.

Behaviour

A bird of wetlands, it swims and feeds in and around water.

Migration

The Whooper Swan is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

The Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus) is a species of bird in the Anatidae family, part of the order Anseriformes. It occurs naturally across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL n Eurasia.

It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 9.3 kg, with a wing length of about 58.2 cm and a tail of around 17.2 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 17.1 million km² — a very large global range.

Songs & calls

Whooper Swan — Call

Recorded by Grzegorz Lorek Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Whooper Swan — Flight call

Recorded by Juha Saari Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Whooper Swan — Call, duet, flight call

Recorded by Miika Silfverberg Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Whooper Swan — Call

Recorded by bert de bruin Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Whooper Swan — Alarm call, flight call

Recorded by Petter Westberg Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

All Whooper Swan sounds, grouped by type →

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Whooper Swan?

The Whooper Swan is a very large bird that weighs around 9.3 kg.

Where does the Whooper Swan live?

The Whooper Swan is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL n Eurasia, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Whooper Swan belong to?

The Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus) belongs to the Anatidae family, in the order Anseriformes.

What does the Whooper Swan eat?

The Whooper Swan feeds mainly on aquatic plants and algae.

Does the Whooper Swan migrate?

The Whooper Swan is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

Is the Whooper Swan endangered?

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

What sound does the Whooper Swan make?

5 real field recordings of the Whooper Swan — including its call, alarm call and flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, each credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Whooper Swan's range?

The Whooper Swan has a mapped global range of about 17.1 million km².