Mute Swan
Cygnus olor
- Family
- Ducks, Swans, and Geese (Anatidae)
- Order
- Anseriformes
Overview
The mute swan (Cygnus olor) is a species of swan and a member of the family Anatidae within the waterfowl order. It is native to much of Europe and parts of Asia and (as a rare winter visitor) the far north of Africa. It is an introduced species in North America, home to the largest populations outside of its native range, with additional smaller introductions in Australasia and Southern Africa. The name "mute" derives from it being less vocal than other swan species.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Range and habitat
West-central to east-central Palearctic region from central Europe to southeastern China; partially migratory southward; introduced widely including to western and southwestern Europe, Japan, southwestern Australia, and eastern North America.
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Countries
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- Algeria
- Armenia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- China
- Croatia
- Czechia
- Denmark
- Egypt
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Georgia
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Iran
- Iraq
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Kazakhstan
- Kosovo
- Kyrgyzstan
- Latvia
- Libya
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- North Korea
- North Macedonia
- Norway
- Poland
- Romania
- Russia
- Serbia
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Turkey
- Turkmenistan
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
- Uzbekistan
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Mute swan
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
