Black Swan

Australia has the world’s only, mostly Black Swan, just a red beak and a glimpse of white feather until it fly’s then you see as in the photo the white flight feathers.  

​New Zealand had its own species but it was hunted to extinction, later on the Australian species was introduced and have now become naturalised.

Black swans live throughout Australia wherever there is a large body of water.  They feed on aquatic and marshland plants. Breeding is between May and September and the mature pair bond permanently, both of them nest building, incubating and feeding the cygnets.

The female lays 4 - 6 eggs in an untidy nest, incubation doesn't start until the last egg is laid.  This takes 35 - 40 days and the cygnets stay with the parents for about 9 months.
 
After they have finished breeding Sept - Feb. the adults moult their wing feathers. Unable to fly they gather in large groups on open water, safety in numbers.
 
The Big Swamp is home to a successful breeding pair and they should return to their nest site to breed annually.  Black Swans are good parents, calmly and proudly displaying their offspring but seeing them in flight they are at their most spectacular.