Family: AnatidaeHabitat: Open lakes, ponds, and marshes, in freshwater habitats. In winter, may also be found in brackish habitats.
Distribution: An Old World species, introduced into the U.S., where breeding has been documented in southwestern British Columbia, southern Saskatchewan, Montana, the Great Lakes region, New York, New England, and additional locations south of this range (A.O.U. 1998). Some records may be the result of birds that have escaped from captivity.
Field Marks: Black knob on orange bill and the S-shaped neck are good field marks for adult birds. On the water, wings are often carried higher than in other North American swans. Dusky gray juvenile plumage begins to turn white by mid-winter.
Nest Habits: Breeds on the ground near water, where it builds its nest from cattails, reeds, and other aquatic vegetation.
Eggs: 4-8, sometimes as many as 10; 113 millimeter; gray or blue-green in color.
Incubation: Both sexes incubate the eggs and care for the young. Incubation lasts approximately 36 days; young are capable of flight when they are about 115-155 days old.
