Swans and cygnets in the UK
Three kinds of swan live in or visit Britain, and most of what you see on a park lake is the mute swan. This guide covers how to tell them apart, how cygnets grow, what the law says and what to do if a swan needs help.
The swans you will actually meet
If you see a swan on a river, canal or park pond in the UK, it is almost certainly a mute swan. It is the big white bird with an orange bill, a black knob at the base and a neck held in a graceful S-curve. Mute swans live here all year round and many pairs stay on the same stretch of water for life.
The other two species are winter visitors. Whooper swans arrive mainly from Iceland and Bewick's swans from the Arctic tundra of Russia. They hold their necks straight and have a yellow and black bill. You are far more likely to see them on wet fields and nature reserves in the north and east than on a town pond. Our swan identification guide shows exactly what to look for.
Cygnets: the swan year
A baby swan is called a cygnet. Mute swan pairs build a huge nest of reeds and sticks from March, the female lays several eggs in April or May, and the grey, fluffy cygnets usually hatch in late May and June. They ride on their parents' backs when tired, grow quickly through the summer and lose their grey-brown feathers over their first winter. Read about each stage on our cygnets page.
Nesting swans can be protective. Keep dogs on a lead near water in spring, give nests plenty of room and never touch eggs or young birds.
The law and the Crown
All wild birds are protected in the UK, so it is an offence to harm a swan, take its eggs or damage its nest. You may also have heard that the Crown owns the swans. That is a real, if narrow, tradition, and it is the reason the ceremony called Swan Upping still takes place on the Thames each summer. We explain what is true and what is myth on the swan law page.
Feeding swans: skip the bread
Feeding the ducks and swans is a lovely thing to do with children, but white bread is poor food for waterbirds and leftover scraps can foul the water and attract rats. Better choices include oats, peas, corn and chopped salad leaves. Details are on our page about feeding swans properly.
If a swan is in trouble
Swans are strong, and a frightened one can hurt you, so do not grab it. Fishing line, hooks and lead weights are common causes of injury, and some injured birds need a rescuer with the right equipment. Our injured swan guide explains who to call and what to do while you wait.
Where to see swans
You do not need to travel: almost any lake, river or canal will have mute swans. For large gatherings and wild winter visitors, head for a wetland reserve. Abbotsbury Swannery in Dorset is a rare managed colony of nesting mute swans, while the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust centres at Slimbridge, Welney and Martin Mere are known for winter swans. See where to see swans for tips on timing your trip.
About this site
Swanlets is an independent guide written for people who simply like swans and want to look after them. We link to the official sources behind every factual page so that you can check the details yourself. If you spot something out of date, please get in touch.
Start with whichever question brought you here: telling the species apart, understanding what you saw on the river this morning, or finding out what to do about a bird that does not look right. Every page is written in plain words and focuses on what is useful for a visitor to the water's edge, not on folklore. Where something varies by region or changes over time, such as rules on a particular stretch of canal or the exact date of a ceremony, we say so and point you to the people who decide.
Frequently asked questions
What is a baby swan called?
A baby swan is called a cygnet.
Which swan is the most common in the UK?
The mute swan, which lives here all year. Whooper and Bewick's swans are winter visitors.
Do the King and Queen own all the swans?
No. The Crown has a right to ownership of unmarked mute swans in open water, but in practice it is exercised only on parts of the Thames and its tributaries.