Cygnet | Bird - Britannica

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Quick Summary

A cygnet is a young swan. Swans are large waterfowl known for their long necks and graceful swimming. They are heavy-bodied birds that fly with slow wingbeats and outstretched necks, migrating in formations at high altitudes.12

Swans feed on aquatic plants by dabbling, not diving. Both male swans (cobs) and females (pens) look alike. While often thought to be silent, swans can make various sounds, including hisses and grunts. They typically mate for life and are sociable except during the breeding season. The female incubates the eggs, and the male guards them. Young cygnets are born with downy feathers and can walk and swim shortly after hatching, often riding on their mother's back. They remain mottled gray or brown for a couple of years before maturing.2

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2 Britannica Sources

1. Definition of cygnet
2. swan

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life cycle

• In swan

  The young, called cygnets, emerge short-necked and thickly downed; though capable of running and swimming a few hours after hatching, they are carefully tended for several months; in some species they may ride about on their mother’s back. Immature birds wear mottled gray or brown plumage for two…

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