Mute Swan
Cygnus olor
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Distribution Britain 1,579 (-2.6%) Ireland 560 (-11.7%)
Numbers breeding: Britain 25,750 Ireland 19,500 (adults) European status: 48,000 (48% in Britain and Ireland =1) British population trend: increasing still? (+59% WBS) How likely are you to record it? 363 squares (8.1%) Ranked 68 [64=] |
These birds were an important status symbol in earlier times with bill-marks denoting the ownership. This was dying out 250 years ago but the birds were still considered as tame until earlier this century. They have increased gradually and may still be increasing with better protection and more wetlands for them to use. Lead poisoning was an important mortality factor in the 1960s until the material was banned from being used by anglers (Britain 1987) and many populations started to increase immediately. The ban on lead loaded shotgun use over water on certain areas (1999 England and Wales) may help further. Current breeding population estimates might be of the order of 200 pairs in Wales, 550 in Scotland, over 4,000 in Ireland and almost 6,000 in England. However the translation of number of adults to breeding pairs is always tricky. Colonial breeding occurs at the Fleet in Dorset, Loch of Harray in Orkney and in Ireland in Donegal and Wexford. This species has a special place in public affection in many areas and prospects are good.
From
The
State of the Nations Birds
Copyright © 2000 by Chris Mead