Wildlife UK Forum - Discuss the UK countryside and wildlife

Look what dropped in a couple of weeks ago  at a country park in the valley. Does anyone know anything about black swans? I have only ever seen them as a child whilst on holiday in Dawlish, Devon.

I've done a bit of research, and it seems you are very lucky to see the black swan in England. They are mainly from Australia, although there are some kept in the UK as ornamental birds. In 2001, 9 escaped breeding pairs had escaped although the poulation is still not considered to be sustainable.

According to latest figures there seems to be only about 50 wilds birds in this country, aso you were extremely lucky to see one!

I'ii have to see if it is still there.Thanks Riana

If there are breeding pairs and they have been around for at least six years, you would think that would be enough to be considered sustainable and added to the official list of species living in the UK. What is the minimum amount of a species to be considered sustainable? Or is there other factors involved?

There are many factors which go into determining what birds go onto the official lists, and there is a whole sub-category for birds which are not native, but have been introduced!

It would seem that the black swans are not considered breeding pairs yet, but simply escapees.  

"Species that have been recorded as introductions, transportees or escapees from captivity, and whose British breeding populations (if any) are thought not to be self-sustaining", and are considered Category E species.

The swan's companion, the Greater Canada Goose, is another example of an introduced species, but one which is (in many people's minds) more than self-sustaining.

Kingfisher

Seen one at Cley in Norfolk.

Thanks for the information. I wonder if the black swan will ever get the resident species status here. If its numbers keep increasing I suppose it will at some point.

Sorry we checked & the black swan had gone , obviously just passing through but his friends had got young.

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Cute picture, shame the black swan had gone but maybe it will be back at some point.

Apparently the official list is constantly being updated, so it's entirely possible that black swans will be listed eventually.

Now the question is--do they belong to the Crown, the way the other swans do?

Kingfisher

Black Swans are a sedentary species in Australia so the chances of one getting here under its own steam a very minimal. The ones in the UK have escaped from captivity initially but the occasional pair do breed. The town of Dawlish in Devon is known for its black swans. Sorry i cant remember the history behind them but i think folklore says that something will happen in Dawlish if the swans ever left.

I used to see Blacks Swans when I was a child in Greenwich Park in London - but I think the ones they had died & they never got any more. The last Black Swan I saw was at Winston Churchill's house Chartwell, now owned by the National Trust in Kent - he loved Black Swans & when he lived there, there was always a nesting pair & he used to paint them - Now there is still a nesting pair & I have some photos somewhere, if I find them, I'll post them on here.

The Black Swan in Dawlish has been the town's emblem for well over 40 years, they have records of the same Black Swan line going back since the 1900's - the swans live with a whole host of other wildfowl on what is called the 'Brook'. The swans were introduced from New Zealnd by John Nash who was born in Dawlish but emigrated to New Zealand. I'm not sure if there is a folklore about the swan in Dawlish, but I'd never put anything past the West Country!

I have seen a couple of these in the Grounds of Leeds Castle. I got some pictures of them with my SLR, so I will post them when I get the pictures put onto a CD

Thanks for that. I thought i had read somewhere about it. I saw them there and the other wildfowl at The Brook when i went to see the Long-billed Murrelet at Dawlish in Nov 2006.

This is one that I photographed at Lee Valley, Herts last year:

Black Swan - Lee Valley