Mute Swan vs Northern Gannet
Cygnus olor comparé à Morus bassanus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | Mute Swan | Northern Gannet |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Cygnus olor | Morus bassanus |
| Ordre | Anseriformes | Suliformes |
| Famille | Anatidae | Sulidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longueur | 152,0 cm (59.8 in) | 93,0 cm (36.6 in) |
| Envergure | 235,0 cm (92.5 in) | 180,0 cm (70.9 in) |
| Poids | 11000,0 g (388.01 oz) | 3000,0 g (105.82 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Submerged aquatic vegetation, algae, and grass. Feeds by upending in shallow water, reaching depths of … | Shoaling fish, especially mackerel, herring, and capelin. Plunge-dives from heights of 30 meters at speeds … |
| Taille de la couvée | 5-7 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Mute Swan
Lakes, slow rivers, estuaries, and coastal lagoons. Often associated with parks and ornamental waters in Europe.
Northern Gannet
Open ocean and coastal waters. Breeds in dense colonies on steep rocky islands and sea stacks.
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.
Northern Gannet
Loud, harsh 'urrah-urrah' grunting and croaking at breeding colonies on sea stacks. Also gives a softer 'karrr' in flight. Large colonies are extremely noisy during the breeding season.
Geographic Range & Migration
Mute Swan
Native to Europe and western Asia. Introduced to North America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
Northern Gannet
North Atlantic, breeding from Newfoundland and Gulf of St. Lawrence to Norway, Iceland, and Britain. Winters at sea south to the tropics.
Statut de conservation
Mute Swan
Northern Gannet
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
Northern Gannet
Brilliant white body with black wingtips and a golden-yellow wash on the head and nape. Blue-grey bill with dark lines and pale blue eye-ring.
Long, straight, pointed, pale blue-grey bill with serrated edges
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.
Northern Gannet
The northern gannet is a spectacular plunge-diver, folding its two-meter wingspan into an arrow shape to hit the water at up to 100 km/h. Air sacs under the skin and a reinforced skull protect it from the impact. Bass Rock in Scotland hosts over 150,000 gannets, the largest single colony of any seabird in the world.