Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus

 

BOU Category:
Site status:
Devon status:
Conservation status:
Conservation levels:		 A (GB and site) †
rare late autumn migrant and winter visitor; one mid-summer record
uncommon winter visitor † †
BOCC3 (unlisted); SPEC (secure); IUCN European and Global (Least Concern) †
nationally important: ≥110 (winter); internationally important: ≥210 (winter) †

International
Now widely regarded as a separate species from its North American counterpart (Trumpeter Swan Cygnus buccinalor), so monotypic, as validity of islandicus is uncertain.

Estimated 180,000 adult individuals; nests on islands or adjacent shallow waters with emergent vegetation, bogs and marshland in afforested tundra and taiga zones from Iceland to eastern Russia, arriving on breeding grounds generally in the second half of May,  Virtually wholly migratory and influenced by freshwaters freezing over, they arrive at wintering grounds in Oct/Nov in lowland Europe and eastern Asia, favouring marshlands, floodplains, fresh and brackish lakes, estuaries, sheltered coasts and increasingly on lowland agricultural fields.  Departure from wintering grounds is from mid-Mar to early-May††.

Europe and Great Britain
 Highly sociable in winter, over half of Europe’s wintering population (total >65,000) from birds breeding in Iceland, Fenno-Scandinavia and W Russia, occur in Denmark and Germany, and thousands more winter elsewhere in Baltic and North Sea bordering countries.  Smaller numbers winter elsewhere in Europe††.  Has increased as a wintering bird in the UK (max 16,502 in Jan 2010)† and Ireland (7,900 - 9,100)† over the past 25 years, predominantly receiving birds from Iceland (where 500 - 1200 remain to winter on the coasts).  Much smaller numbers (200+) may winter in GB from Finland†.

Its susceptibility to particularly harsh winters is not well understood, but GB may play host to extra visitors that normally winter in Germany and Denmark, presumably first moving to the Low Counties and then into GB, if severe enough.

Devon
 Historically a rare visitor during severe winters and was unrecorded 1906 - 1940.  Since 1941, it became more frequent, absent in only 9 of 69 years to 2010, appearing mostly Oct – Mar, and rarely Apr - Jun.  Usually occurs as singles or small parties at widely scattered locations on floodplains and estuaries; the annual maximum for Devon is 35 individuals in 2002††.

 

Dawlish Warren

There are 11 records involving at least 19 birds:

23 Jan 1893  
31 Jan 1954
11 Jan - 15 Mar 1970
17 Dec 1973
02 & 08 Jan 1974
14 Jan 1981
15 Oct 2000 
11 Jan 2002  
05, 07 & 09 Nov 2002
10 Jun 2007
27 Jan 2008		 a young female shot in the Bight off Exmouth 23 Jan 1893” †
“eight including four adults seen to leave lower estuary in a southerly direction” (R.G. Adams) †
one (R.G. Adams et al)
one in the saltmarsh (B Gregory, A Rosier)
no details for sightings, except from “Exe Est, wintering birds stayed to the end of Feb" †
three (A Rosier)
one adult with Mute Swans in Shutterton Creek (K. Rylands et al)
one (JEF) 
one adult, roosted in Shutterton Creek leaving early each morning (JEF et al)
one in estuary behind Golf Course (D Smallshire)
one flew S down the estuary before landing on sea (LC et al)

Half of records have occurred within only the past decade, compared with the first five records, which took nearly a century to appear.  This is likely a combined reflection on increased observer effort and that it has genuinely become more frequently seen in the SW since the mid-20th century.  Although most likely of Icelandic origin, the increasing Fenno-Scandinavian and W Russian breeding population, and increasing tendency to immigrate from usual wintering grounds on the Continent could be an alternative source of records here†.

Seven records refer to only brief visits, but three singles have remained longer, one for two months.  The only year with two records (2002) coincided with Devon’s highest annual tally of individuals.  

The mid-summer record in 2007 was probably the same adult present on the Otter Estuary 26 May to 19 Oct†.


10/06/2007 © Dave Smallshire

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Updated 11/08/2013