Swan look-alikes
Cygnus spp.
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Open the appSeveral birds can be mistaken for the Swan. Compare the key differences below to confirm your sighting.
Birds to compare
Mute Swan
Cygnus olor
Key differences
Distinguished by its orange bill with a prominent black knob at the base, and its characteristic S-curved neck posture. Largely silent, except for hisses and wing music. Often holds its wings slightly raised over its back.
Whooper Swan
Cygnus cygnus
Key differences
Has a straight neck and a bill that is predominantly yellow with a black tip. Known for its loud, bugling 'whoop-whoop' calls. Lacks the black knob of the Mute Swan.
Trumpeter Swan
Cygnus buccinator
Key differences
Largest North American swan. Has an entirely black bill that extends smoothly to the eye, without a yellow patch. Produces a deep, resonant, horn-like call. Holds its neck straight.
Tundra Swan (Whistling Swan)
Cygnus columbianus
Key differences
Smaller than Trumpeter and Whooper Swans. Has a black bill, often with a small yellow spot (loral patch) at the base, though this can be absent. Call is higher-pitched and more musical than the Trumpeter Swan, often described as 'woo-woo-woo'.
Snow Goose
Anser caerulescens
Key differences
Significantly smaller than swans, with shorter necks and a pink bill with a 'grinning patch'. Flies in large, noisy flocks. Swans are much larger and more elegant.
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