The Safe Hiding Spot Where Baby Swans Love to Hide

A baby swan, called a cygnet, hitches a ride on its mom’s back in this heartwarming video shared by wildlifeandrescue. Even though baby swans can swim shortly after hatching, they get tired when swimming long distances hunting for food. This sleepy black swan cygnet decided to climb onto mom to rest and warm up, knowing it is safe and sound tucked into its mother’s feathers.

The Beautiful Black Swan

Black swans (Cygnus atratus) are waterfowl native to Australia, including the island state of Tasmania. They were introduced to neighboring New Zealand, where they are now common. They were also introduced in Europe, North America, and Japan, where they were initially pets and are most likely to be found in captivity. Black swans are herbivorous and inhabit any body of water with aquatic plant life, whether freshwater, saltwater, or brackish water. They are social birds and form large flocks outside of their breeding season.

As the name indicates, black swans have mostly black feathers, but some wing feathers are white. Similar to other swans, they have long, S-shaped necks. Black swans’ necks are longer than their bodies, helping them forage underwater. These swans have vibrant reddish-orange bills with a horizontal white line close to the paler tips. Their irises are also a shade of red or pink. When fully grown, their length is between 3.5-4.5 feet. They weigh from around nine pounds to just under 20 pounds, with males being larger. Their wingspans range from 5-6.5 feet.

Bringing Up Baby Swans

Black swans are typically monogamous and may have the same mate for their entire lives. They come together to breed every year from February through September. The female builds her nest in the water, making a large, floating mound of leaves, sticks, reeds, grasses, and other debris. She lays a clutch of 5-6 eggs on average, but up to 10 eggs have been documented. The eggs are laid a day apart, followed by approximately 35 to 45 days of incubation once all of the eggs have been laid. Both male and female swans participate in incubating the eggs. They are territorial and will threaten intruders, but black swans are considered the least territorial of all swan species.

The cygnets are precocial, so they are developed enough to swim and feed soon after hatching. Cygnets have greyish-brown feathers with lighter colored tips and dark bills that appear almost black. They are brooded for up to three weeks. This ensures the cygnets remain warm and protected until they can regulate their body temperatures. Most sources indicate the cygnets fledge at around six months, which means their feathers are strong enough that they can fly. The cygnets stay with the family until the next breeding season. Young swans reach maturity at 18 to 36 months and may form their own flocks while searching for a mate.

Why Do Swan Parents Carry Their Cygnets?

Cygnets of all temperate-breeding swan species have been documented riding on their parents’ backs while swimming. Researchers especially noted this practice when swans moved into deep water. The female parent is typically responsible for carrying the cygnets, but male black swans will also occasionally carry the young on their backs. The babies will be carried for at least the first few weeks, if not longer. Experts explain that carrying the young tucked into their feathers partially replaces brooding in the nest. By feeding and brooding their young at the same time, the parents can regain weight lost during the reproductive process. This also allows both parents and cygnets to conserve energy.

Tucked into their parents’ feathers, the cygnets are protected from harsh weather and hidden from predators. However, scientists found that the carrying process relies on the cygnets. They climb, unassisted, onto their parents’ backs between the folded wings and the tail. The parents raise their wings slightly to provide a safe place for the young to sit. Cygnets have been documented climbing onto their parents’ backs when their behavior suggested they were tired, frightened, or cold. Judging from the half-closed eyes of the little one above, a nap on mom’s back is definitely in order.