Psilos Wildfowl Photography |
Black necked Swan ( Cygnus melanocoryphus ) |
This species is one of two Swans native
to South America, from southern Brazil down towards the Falkland Islands.
Its natural habitat can be found on large lakes and marshes. Large flocks
may be seen during winter though these are shy birds which are not easy
to approach. They spend most of their time in the water because their
legs are set so far back on their bodies that walking is difficult.
Sexes are similar though the male birds tend to be larger. |
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The bird in the photo above is a male bird identified by the large double knob on the top of his bill. In the female this is much smaller. This spring one pair of Black necked Swans had 5 young. When they are only a couple of days old they take to the water whilst riding on their parents back for protection. |
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| I have loved watching these young cygnets grow up this year. In the beginning there were five but sadly one was lost. In the wild these birds have few enemies and as a result the cygnets develop very slowly. In the photo below the cygnet has started to swim more independantly. It is about 3 weeks old. |
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