Black Swans — Black Is Beautiful
A beautiful waterbird with white wingtips and a red bill.
I first encountered a black swan many many years ago in Dhaka Zoo. I was really excited and stared at it for a while. It’s not common in our country and only found in Zoos.
Though we have plenty of swans in almost every household in the countryside, we don’t have any black swan. All our swans are either grey or white. So, it was love at first sight for me. I mean, seriously, who could ignore that black beauty.
Later, I saw this close relative of geese and duck in many places, not in any countryside but zoo ponds. They are truly magnificent.
Black Swans Have White Feathers Too
Black swans are not entirely black. They have broad white wing tips that you can see clearly when they are in flight.
This waterbird has greyish-black legs, and its bill is bright red with a pale tip and bar. Its neck is the longest among swans and looked S-shaped it floats on water.
Where to Find Black Swans
This magnificent bird is native to Australia’s south-eastern and south-western wetlands. They are also found in New Zealand and Japan. As black swans are lovers of aquatic vegetation, they are usually found in rivers, lakes, and swampland.
Black swans generally eat aquatic plants such as stoneworts, algae, leaves of reedmace, etc. They live in flocks where the number of birds may reach thousands.
They are generally sedentary waterbirds though they become nomadic when the food is a rarity. Black swans create V-shape while they are in the sky traveling far-away land for food and shelter. Interestingly, they prefer to travel at night.
They are mostly monogamous with only a 6% divorce rate (I think their divorce lawyers are starving!).
Wikipedia mentions, “An estimated one-quarter of all pairings are homosexual, mostly between males. They steal nests or form temporary threesomes with females to obtain eggs, driving away the female after she lays the eggs”
The current global population of black swans is around 500,000 birds and is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Western Australia Has a Black Swan in Its Flag
Yes, a black swan is featured in the flag of Western Australia as it’s their official bird.
But Europe didn’t know the black swan existed until Willem de Vlamingh, first saw this black beauty in 1697 in the Swan River, Western Australia.
Black Swan is a wonderful bird in black, white, and red. And not just black swans, all the birds are amazing in one way or another. You just need a little curiosity to explore their world.
Thank you for reading.
References
If you are a lover of the environment, nature, and wildlife, you may enjoy the following articles published in The Environment.
- The School of Nature
- I Saw My Darlings on a Dye-Fig Tree
- Color Your Life With Some Birds
- Where Have All the Birds Gone?
- Global Warming Is Going to Destroy Your Children’s Life
You can also share your love and concerns for this lovely planet. Just click the below image and write for The Environment
