Swans-a-Swimming

It's Mondo Missy Monday again!

And you know what that means?  It's time for another Christmas in July post.  Today's C.I.J. subject is Swans!  As we know from The Twelve Days of Christmas song, day seven is "Swans-a-Swimming".  So, of course we're gonna be talking about swans.  They're beautiful.  They're graceful.  They're in that story, "The Ugly Duckling." But beyond that, what else do we know about these stately birds?  Let's dive into today's post to find out more.

Today's Swan facts info is courtesy of the article, "Interesting Facts About Swans" at justfunfacts.com:

Interesting Facts About Swans
The swans are close relatives with geese and ducks.
Often seen gliding across lakes, the swan has long represented elegance and refinement.
The swans are the largest members of the waterfowl family Anatidae, and are among the largest flying birds.
The largest species, including the mute swan, trumpeter swan, and whooper swan, can reach a length of over 1.5 meters (59 inches) and weigh over 15 kilograms (33 pounds). Their wingspans can be over 3.1 meters (10 feet).
Swans live for approximately 20 to 30 years.
The swan is found on both sides of the Equator across the Northern and Southern Hemispheres
Swans are herbivores.
Their calls consist of a loud, deep, sonorous, trumpet-like honking sounds, as well as peeps, hisses and gurgles.
Swans usually mate for life, though “divorce” does sometimes occur, particularly following nesting failure, and if a mate dies, the remaining swan will take up with another.
Bonded pairs tend to remain together year-round.
Swans build their nests on land out of twigs and leaves, and the female swan lays between 3 and 9 eggs. The baby swans hatch out of their eggs after an incubation of just over a month.
A male swan is called a cob, and a female swan is called a pen. A baby swan is called a cygnet and a group of swans is called a bevy or a wedge in flight.
Due to their large size, swans have few natural predators in the wild.
Before European explorers had reached Australia, it was believed that all swans were white. Dutch mariner, Antounie Caen, was the first to be amazed at the sight of Australia’s Black swans on the Shark Bay in 1636.
For more indepth swan facts, please go to the link below:
Here's to hoping you learned a lot about these awesome birds!  Check back with us on Saturday for our next Christmas in July post.
Until then,
This is your host J,
signing off...

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