Swan
| Swan Temporal range:
| |
|---|---|
| Mute swan (Cygnus olor) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Anseriformes |
| Family: | Anatidae |
| Subfamily: | Anserinae |
| Genus: | Garsault, 1764 |
| Type species | |
| Anas olor[3] (now Cygnus olor) Gmelin, 1789
| |
| Species | |
|
6 living, see text. | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Cygnanser Kretzoi, 1957 | |
Swans are birds of the genus Cygnus within the family Anatidae. The swans' closest relatives include geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae, forming the tribe Cygnini. Sometimes, they are considered a distinct subfamily, Cygninae. They are the largest waterfowl and are often among the largest flighted birds in their range.
There are six living and many extinct species of swan; in addition, there is a species known as the coscoroba swan, which is no longer considered one of the true swans. Swans usually mate for life, although separation sometimes occurs, particularly following nesting failure, and if a mate dies, the remaining swan will take up with another. The number of eggs in each clutch ranges from three to eight.[4]
- ^ Northcote, E. M. (1981). "Size difference between limb bones of recent and subfossil Mute Swans (Cygnus olor)". J. Archaeol. Sci. 8 (1): 89–98. Bibcode:1981JArSc...8...89N. doi:10.1016/0305-4403(81)90014-5.
- ^ "Fossilworks Cygnus Garsault 1764 (waterfowl) Reptilia – Anseriformes – Anatidae PaleoDB taxon number: 83418 Parent taxon: Anatidae according to T. H. Worthy and J. A. Grant-Mackie 2003 See also Bickart 1990, Howard 1972, Parmalee 1992 and Wetmore 1933". Archived from the original on 2021-12-12. Retrieved 2021-12-17.
- ^ "Anatidae". aviansystematics.org. The Trust for Avian Systematics. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
- ^ "Swan Breeding Profile: Pairing, Incubation, Nesting / Raising of Young". Archived from the original on 6 July 2018. Retrieved 5 July 2018.