Black Swan

1. All-black plumage on water with a bright red bill and red eyes

2. Striking white flight feathers visible only in flight

3. Long, curved neck and large body, unmatched by any other Australian waterbird

Black Swans are mostly vegetarian, feeding on aquatic and marshland plants by upending or dipping their long necks underwater. They are monogamous, with both parents sharing incubation and cygnet care. Females lay four to eight eggs in a large mound nest built from reeds and grasses, usually in shallow water. Both sexes take turns incubating the eggs, males often by day, females by night; for about 35–40 days. Cygnets are precocial, able to swim and feed themselves soon after hatching, and may ride on their parents’ backs for protection. Black Swans are known for their musical, bugle-like calls and the whistling sound of their wings in flight.

Black Swans are widespread across Australia and Tasmania, favouring large, shallow wetlands, lakes, lagoons, rivers, and even urban water bodies. They prefer habitats with abundant aquatic vegetation and can gather in flocks of hundreds or thousands on suitable lakes and estuaries. Their range extends through the southeast and southwest, with large populations in the Murray-Darling Basin and coastal regions. They are nomadic, moving in response to rainfall and water availability, and are tolerant of human presence, often seen in city parks and ornamental lakes.