This big bird (weighing up to 12 kg) is white with a black knob, lower bill and legs. Upper bill is orange. Black basal knob on the upper bill stretching to its forehead is the best distinctive feature of the Mute Swan. The Mute Swan holds its neck curved while swimming, bill bending downwards. It can be often seen to hold its wings up above the back like a shield. The Mute Swan is a very silent bird but it will hiss or snort when annoyed.
The Mute Swan breeds in the coastal regions of the North, Baltic, Caspian and Black Sea. The distribution has considerably widened during the past twenty years. It is partly due to people who have semi-domesticated the Mute Swan keeping it for decorative reasons in town parks. Such a living place has often become a breeding place. As regards Estonia the Mute Swan is widespread in the Western Archipelago and the western coastal regions of Estonia.
The first swans appear when there are the first patches of open water and the last ones leave when the bodies of water have completely frozen. The Estonian proverb "When swans leave, it will snow" holds the truth. Relatively large number of swans winter in Estonia if there are favourable weather conditions (feeding problems due to freezing water and other factors).
The Mute Swan prefers coastal bays and lakes with rich vegetation to bare islets in the sea. It begins to breed at the end of April and at the beginning of May. There are usually 4 - 8 big greenish-grey eggs in the clutch. The newly hatched young do not resemble the beautiful decorative adults at all. The young are able to fly at the beginning of September.
Adult swans do not have any enemies in nature. The bill of the Mute Swan is a dangerous weapon that can be used for hitting deep wounds. It uses its wings as well and the hits of the edges of these are comparable with fists' blows by a man. An angry swan is dangerous even to people: if annoyed it will willingly attack.
The Mute Swan is most of all endangered by water pollution. The Mute Swan is under protection.