Mute Swan vs Spectacled Eider
Cygnus olor compared with Somateria fischeri
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Mute Swan | Spectacled Eider |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Cygnus olor | Somateria fischeri |
| Order | Anseriformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
| Length | 152.0 cm (59.8 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 235.0 cm (92.5 in) | 49.2 cm (19.4 in) |
| Weight | 11000.0 g (388.01 oz) | 1443.75 g (50.93 oz) |
| Diet | Submerged aquatic vegetation, algae, and grass. Feeds by upending in shallow water, reaching depths of … | Dives for bivalves, crustaceans, and aquatic insects in shallow Arctic coastal and freshwater habitats. Insects … |
| Clutch Size | 5-7 | 1-9 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Mute Swan
Lakes, slow rivers, estuaries, and coastal lagoons. Often associated with parks and ornamental waters in Europe.
Song & Call Comparison
Mute Swan
Despite its name, not truly mute: gives hissing snorts and low grunting when threatened. Wings produce a loud rhythmic whistling throbbing sound in flight.
Spectacled Eider
Male gives a low, melodious aah-ooo cooing; female produces a guttural, grunting call. The male's ghostly, organ-like cooing call carries across Arctic tundra ponds in the breeding season.
Geographic Range & Migration
Mute Swan
Native to Europe and western Asia. Introduced to North America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
Spectacled Eider
Breeds on coastal tundra of western and northern Alaska. Winters along the Bering Sea coast from Alaska to Kamchatka. Largely sedentary.
Conservation Status
Mute Swan
Spectacled Eider
How to Tell Them Apart
Mute Swan
All-white plumage in adults. Cygnets are grey-brown, gradually whitening over the first year. Graceful S-curved neck posture is distinctive.
Orange bill with a prominent black knob at the base, larger in males
Spectacled Eider
Male has white back and black breast with pale sage-green head framed by large white goggle-like spectacles edged black. Female mottled tawny-brown with faint spectacle outline.
About These Birds
Mute Swan
The mute swan is one of the heaviest flying birds, with males weighing up to 14 kg. Despite its name, it is not truly mute, producing hissing, grunting, and snorting sounds. Mute swans form lifelong pair bonds and their aggressive defense of nesting territory is well known.
Spectacled Eider
A medium-large sea duck of the family Anatidae, weighing ~1.4 kg with distinctive pale green goggles in males. Breeds on Arctic tundra of Alaska and Russia; winters in pack ice of the Bering Sea. Dives for benthic invertebrates and mollusks. Near Threatened due to population declines linked to lead poisoning and habitat change.