Is there a species of swan where some swans migrate and others don't?
I think I may have misunderstood, but a friend who's an ornathologist, explained to me that the swans I see on my local lake in winter are surviving cygnets left behind by their parents when the parents migrated. If they survive the cygnets become resident and never subsequently migrate.
Is that correct, or have I got things confused?
Thanks
Stuart
Hi stoo, welcome to the forum.
During the winter, many swans migrate, or travel long distances. They leave before the rivers and lakes freeze. Migrating swans fly to warmer climates or to places where they can find more food. Other swans do not migrate at all. They live by bodies of water that don’t freeze.
Cygnets normally stay with their parents for about a year or two. This gives young swans time to learn such things as migration routes if the birds aren't resident. Some swans stay with their parents until they are ready to choose mates of their own.
The cygnets you are seeing could be birds of 2008 if there are no adults about and have decided to stay if there is plenty of food. Without seeing a photo is hard to determine their age, also without a description I can only presume they're Mute Swans.
Bewick Swans migrate from their Arctic breeding grounds between October-November, to winter in coastal lowlands of northern Europe. They return between March-April. On migration they use important staging areas in Estonia and near lake Onega and the White Sea.
Whooper Swans move south from their breeding grounds in October-November, returning in March-April. The northern limit of their wintering grounds is dependant on the harshness of the weather. Birds from Western Iceland winter mainly in Ireland and W Scotland; those from Eastern Iceland winter in the rest of Scotland.
Mute Swans tend to form large concentrations on selected waters, for post-breeding moult. Also, they often congregate on favoured waters during the winter. Descendants of 'park-swans' tend to be sedentary but birds around the Baltic are often obliged to migrate south and west unless the winter is so mild that the waters don't freeze over.
Hope this helps.
Regards Buzzard
Nature Is Amazing - Let Us Keep It That Way
Thanks for such a detailed answer, Buzzard! Just to clarify...
Do UK Mute swans migrate? Or just get together at a favourite water nearby?
If cygnets of migrating swans decide not to migrate the first year with the parent birds, can they do so in following years, or would they not then know where to go to?
Cheers
Stoo
Hi Stoo
"Do UK Mute Swans Migrate?"
The UK has resident birds that don't migrate so there is no mass migration. The numbers below also show that birds arrive here and then migrate in spring.
The estimated resident UK breeding population is 28,000 - 30,000 adult birds, this number can increase to 43,500 during winter from October to March as birds arrive from the baltic and black sea areas, escaping cold weather.
In spring some of these birds then migrate back to the baltic regions etc, are you classing them as UK birds?
"If cygnets of migrating swans decide not to migrate the first year with the parent birds, can they do so in following years, or would they not then know where to go to?"
The cygnets of some pairs are resident to the UK. Juvenile birds that migrate with their parents are shown the way. But there are many instances where birds fly solo and still stay true to the route.
It would appear they sense the Earth's magnetic field and use it to navigate. They also adjust their path using the position of the stars and the sun.
If you think about all of our summer migrants, there are a lot of species were the adults leave before the juveniles. The juveniles then make the journey to warmer climates on their own!