# Black swan



## Warrigal (Nov 1, 2019)

The only swans native to Australia are black and originate in Western Australia but they can now also be found in eastern states. I think they are magical birds.


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## win231 (Nov 1, 2019)

Nice!  I've never seen an Swan that wasn't white.


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## Catlady (Nov 1, 2019)

Beautiful!  I hope they're not considered bad luck, like black cats.  I've always loved black cats, have two at this time.


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## Warrigal (Nov 1, 2019)

Perhaps you will enjoy this video of black swans surfing at the Gold Coast, Queensland

https://www.dailypicksandflicks.com/2013/12/13/surfing-swans-filmed-in-australia-video/


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## win231 (Nov 1, 2019)

^^^ That is incredible.  There are several Swans at a man-made lake where I walk, but they're all white & it's a fresh water lake.


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## Warrigal (Nov 2, 2019)

Salt water is not their regular territory. 
Those swans are an exception. 
I wonder how and when they learned to surf.


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## Warrigal (Nov 4, 2019)

Well, blow me down!
First surfing swans, now emus enjoying a beach paddle.

This emu dad and his brood were photographed at Monkey Mia in Western Australia where tourists go to interact with a local dolphin pod. Emus are a bonus, not seen every day.


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## hollydolly (Nov 4, 2019)

Yes we have Black swans here but they're much rarer than the white of course.. I have some photos I took of some in our local lake ..


ETA...when the sun is shining on them they actually look more of a dark brown.....


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## Pepper (Nov 4, 2019)

Is it true, Holly, that all swans in England belong to the Queen?


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## Warrigal (Nov 4, 2019)

Wondering whether some naturalist brought a pair back to England to show to Sir Joseph Banks. I'll do some digging.

Found something

*Escaped Birds             *
The black swan’s natural habitat is similar to that of the mute swan. The birds are native to Australia and are the state bird of Western Australia. The first specimen was brought to the UK in 1791 and the swans became popular additions to private collections and zoos. However, some of the birds escaped into the wild and have bred successfully.    

* Breeding Pairs            *
 In 2005 there were fewer than 20 breeding pairs in the UK but there are now many more. There could be as many as 120 breeding pairs and the birds have been sighted at as many as 200 different locations across the country. The largest cluster of the birds is to be found in Dawlish Warren, Devon where they were introduced many years ago. They are the emblem of the town.   

* Aggressive Birds             *
 It is possible that these birds could become well-established as they did when they were introduced to New Zealand. The birds are more aggressive than mute swans towards other birds and face little predation and so quickly began to do well in the antipodes. Perhaps the same could happen in the UK.            
Conservationists fear than black swans could threaten our native mute swans. The black swans are also more aggressive to humans than their white cousins and could pose a threat to agriculture by grazing and fouling grasses and eating crops.

*Black Swans and the Law     
*
The black swan is listed under Schedule 9 to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 with respect to England and Wales. Under the act, it is an offence to release or allow the escape of this species into the wild.


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## hollydolly (Nov 4, 2019)

Pepper said:


> Is it true, Holly, that all swans in England belong to the Queen?


Yes indeed pepper absolutely true....


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## hollydolly (Nov 4, 2019)

Warrigal, I think there HAS to be more than 120 breeding pairs here... Dawlish Warren for example is down on the West coast , and if most of them are there, I wouldn't expect to see so many up here in the south...


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## Warrigal (Nov 4, 2019)

I could say it is payback for rabbits and foxes brought to OZ so that well off colonists could enjoy hunting. Apparently kangaroos were deficient as exciting prey.


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## hollydolly (Nov 4, 2019)

Warrigal said:


> I could say it is payback for rabbits and foxes brought to OZ so that well off colonists could enjoy hunting. Apparently kangaroos were deficient as exciting prey.


 Really?.. I had no idea about the rabbits and foxes... . Believe me if you were here where I live, you wouldn't think that there could be even more rabbits and foxes elsewhere  than there already are here...


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