Whooper Swan
Cygnus cygnus
Silhouette: Andrew Cho · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderAnseriformes (Waterfowl)
- FamilyAnatidae (Ducks, Geese, and Swans)
- GenusCygnus (True Swans)
- SpeciesCygnus cygnus (Whooper Swan)
About the Whooper Swan
The whooper swan (/ˈhuːpə(ɹ) swɒn/ "hooper swan"; Cygnus cygnus), is a large northern hemisphere swan. It is the Eurasian counterpart of the North American trumpeter swan. Francis Willughby and John Ray's Ornithology of 1676 referred to this swan as "the Elk, Hooper, or wild Swan". It was one of the many bird species originally described by Carl Linnaeus in the 1758 10th edition of his Systema Naturae, where it was given the binomial name of Anas cygnus. The species name is from cygnus, the Latin for "swan", and the type species for the genus Cygnus. This swan is monotypic with no subspecies.
The old name 'elk', which is not related to the deer species of the same name, derives from Old Norse elft, and also survives in modern Icelandic name for the species álft; it is cognate with the Latin albus, 'white'. The whooper swan is similar in appearance to Bewick's swan. It is larger, however, at a length of 140–165 centimetres (55–65 inches) and a wingspan of 205–275 cm (81–108 in), similar in size to the mute swan. The weight is typically in the range of 7.4–14.0 kilograms (16+1⁄4–30+3⁄4 pounds), with an average of 9.8–11.4 kg (21+1⁄2–25+1⁄4 lb) for males... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Whooper Swan in Gauja National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Gauja National Park
Black Swan
Cygnus atratus
Mute Swan
Cygnus olor
Tundra Swan
Cygnus columbianus
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
Greater White-fronted Goose
Anser albifrons
Common Goldeneye
Bucephala clangula
Tundra Bean Goose
Anser serrirostris
Common Merganser
Mergus merganser
Tufted Duck
Aythya fuligula
Taiga Bean Goose
Anser fabalis
Common Teal
Anas crecca
Eurasian Wigeon
Mareca penelope
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vatnajokull National Park | 🇮🇸 Iceland | |
| 2 | Thingvellir National Park | 🇮🇸 Iceland | |
| 3 | Biebrza National Park | 🇵🇱 Poland | |
| 4 | Białowieża National Park | 🇵🇱 Poland | |
| 5 | Gauja National Park | 🇱🇻 Latvia | |
| 6 | Wadden Sea National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 7 | Cairngorms National Park | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 8 | Snowdonia National Park | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 9 | Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park | 🇲🇳 Mongolia | |
| 10 | Fertő-Hanság National Park | 🇭🇺 Hungary | |
| 11 | Hortobágy National Park | 🇭🇺 Hungary | |
| 12 | Bavarian Forest National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Whooper Swan in Gauja National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Whooper Swan sighting in Gauja National Park, based on 40 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Whooper Swan in Gauja National Park?
October has the highest sighting rate for Whooper Swan in Gauja National Park in our monthly data.