Whooper swan families
The majority of the whooper swans that come to WWT Caerlaverock to spend their winters are from the Icelandic population. These whoopers nest in well vegetated low-lying marshland amongst agricultural fields, with some nests being further upland in the glacial moraine of the taiga habitat. In these areas, predation is low and food abundance is high therefore breeding success is high.
Breeding swan pairs show a strong bond between each other and they mate for life. Both play an important role in the upbringing of their young. They tend to find their mates in the winter flocks and we see small sociable groups between the singles. Swans in pairs are more likely to return to Caerlaverock for further winters than those who are travelling solo and bring their family groups along with them.
Cygnets at Caerlaverock are identified by their darker grey plumage and their close associations with their parents. We see families communicating with each other through their whooping calls and their in-time head bobs, recognising each other through their distinguishable bill patterns. We observe territorial behaviors through aggression between other family groups on the pond when they get too close, in particular with the males where they will call and flap their wings at each other. Often you will see the swans in their family clusters moving around the Whooper and Folly ponds, learning from their parents when and where to go for their breakfast, lunch and dinner.
As the season progresses, we see less reliance from the juveniles on their parents. By the end, some of them feel like they have learned enough to separate from the flock and explore other areas of the UK solo, to travel the world in the way they see fit. We see family groups returning here to Caerlaverock year after year, some starting their courtship here allowing us to watch these families change and develop over time.
Ringed swans seen between 3rd and 9th February
| ZJH - Aspen - paired with YHV, 3 cygnets ZJZ - Snoopy - paired with an unringed bird, 4 cygnets ZLA - Beatrice ZLP - Keith John - paired with ZNB ZNB - paired with ZLP ZNC - Rowena Two - paired with ZNP ZND - Rosie ZHL - Whoopy ZJN - Nado | ........ | ZNP - Lucky Linda - paired with ZNC ZPY - Siguardswan ZSB - Sugar Baby - paired with an unringed bird YHV - Wowsie - paired with ZJH, 3 cygnets XY1318 - Mary - paired with ZJB, 5 cygnets ZY8717 ZJB - Blessing ZLB ZVX - Brooklyn Belle |
Words by Rebekah Allison
Feature image of swan family by Alex Hillier
