The Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus) is a very large swan, nearly the size of a Trumpeter Swan. The Whooper Swan can be found during the Winter months in the United Kingdom, and in Iceland in the Spring and Summer, and fly at high elevations reaching nearly 8,000 feet. These highly admired birds are the national bird of Finland, and their call is said to be the origin of the legend of the Swan Song.

The Whooper Swan has a black and yellow bill with the broad, yellow patch covering at least half of the upper mandible. It is similar to the Bewick’s Swan, but the Bewick’s has a smaller patch of yellow on its bill and is smaller in size overall. The Whooper Swan is all white with black legs and feet. Whooper swans are vocal birds with a call similar to the Trumpeter Swan.

Whooper Swans, like other swans, mate for life and their cygnets stay with them all Winter. Sometimes offspring from previous years will rejoin them. They prefer wetlands for breeding, but will build a nest anywhere near to water. Both the male (Cob) and female (Pen) Whoopers will help build the nest, and the male will stand guard while the female incubates. The Whooper Swan female usually lay an average of 4–7 eggs. Cygnets are grey or brown at hatch, and learn to fly around six to eight months old.

Whooper Swans’ diet consists of stems, leaves and roots while in the water. They will occasionally feed on grasses and grains on land. In the winter they will eat grains, such as a poultry layer feed — we recommend a diet of three parts poultry layer pellets or crumble and on part scratch grains. Swans will eat untreated grass clippings, too.

Unless your pond is larger than one acre, it is best to keep only one pair of swans. Swans will tend to get along together on a small pond until they become breeding age. But at that time they begin to get territorial and the dominant pair will keep other swans off the pond. You can mix swans and geese or ducks on the same pond if the area is of sufficient size.

Sold as male/female pairs. Juvenile swans have been pinioned.

Swans are shipped air cargo and must be picked up at an airport serviced by Delta airlines.