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Description
Just something for Swan Day, a day when we show our appreciation, admiration, and love for the very graceful birds we know and love. Related to ducks and geese, swans are members of the waterfowl order, Anseriformes (and in the family, Anatidae). Swans are generally the largest of waterfowl (with the trumpeter swan being the largest of swans). There are six species that are called 'true swans' (there is another birds called a swan, that being the cosboroba swan, which is no longer considered a true swan, but now considered to be a close relative of the Cape Barren goose) and they all belong to the genus, Cygnus. Those include:

1. The Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) - Least Concern (Top right)
2. The Black Swan (Cygnus atratus) - Least Concern (Middle (near top) left)
3. The Black-Necked Swan (Cygnus melancoryphus) - Least Concern (Bottom left)
4. The Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus) - Least Concern (Top left)
5. The Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator) - Least Concern (Top Center)
6. The Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus) - Least Concern
a. The Bewick's Swan (Cygnus columbianus bewickii) - Bottom center
b. The Whistling Swan (Cygnus columbianus columbianus) - Bottom right

Swans can be found in North America, Europe, Asia, Southern South America (in the case of the black-necked swan), and Australia (in the case of the black swan), though they've been introduced in some places, like New Zealand. Swans are more at home in temperate environments, but are rarely found in tropical areas. Swans are migratory birds, depending on the species and the times they tend to migrate each year. Swans feed both on land and in water. Although they're mostly herbivorous, feasting on aquatic plants, submerged plants, and algae they will sometimes eat tiny aquatic animals (such as molluscs, worms, small fish, and even frogs). A male swan is called a cob, a female is called a pen, and the young are called either cygnets or swanlings. Swans are famous for mating for life (even though 'divorces,' though very rare, tend to happen in some cases). If a mate dies, however, the remaining swan will take up with another swan. Unlike most other waterfowl, the male will help his mate build the nest and even take turns incubating the eggs. Swans may look beautiful, but most have gained a reputation as aggressive, territorial, and even dangerous (to the point where they'll attack any other waterfowl that dares shows up in their turf and there was even one record of a mute swan drowning a person. A smack for a swan's wing is said to break bone). There is one possible reason, however, since swans are highly protective of not only their territories, but are also highly protective of their young, which is why they'll attack anything that is deemed a threat to the cygnets, including humans. Regardless of that, swans are still symbols of love due to their long-lasting and monogamous relationships. The best known story about swans would have to be The Ugly Duckling (where a cygnet, believing he was a duckling after hatching in a duck's nest, becomes a beautiful swan). Today, no species of swan is in urgent danger of extinction, but are still protected (though the mute swan and the black swan are considered introduced species, being brought to different parts of the world and where the mute swans becomes invasive). However, they still face the same problems other birds do, which includes pollution and changes in the wetlands they call home. The trumpeter swan was even once hunted to extinction, only to be given a second chance to rebound and grow back into abundance by conservation. Two things we can do for swans is to make sure our wetlands are cleaned from any litter or pollution and avoid feeding them bread (it'll not only make the birds lose their fear of humans, but it's not really good for their health at all). Anyway, happy Swan Day!

Note: I know there is a day called SWAN Day (SWAN being abbreviated for Support Women Artists Now, but since it's spilled swan, I can't help but make this for the real swans).

Description
Just something for Swan Day, a day when we show our appreciation, admiration, and love for the very graceful birds we know and love. Related to ducks and geese, swans are members of the waterfowl order, Anseriformes (and in the family, Anatidae). Swans are generally the largest of waterfowl (with the trumpeter swan being the largest of swans). There are six species that are called 'true swans' (there is another birds called a swan, that being the cosboroba swan, which is no longer considered a true swan, but now considered to be a close relative of the Cape Barren goose) and they all belong to the genus, Cygnus. Those include:

1. The Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) - Least Concern (Top right)
2. The Black Swan (Cygnus atratus) - Least Concern (Middle (near top) left)
3. The Black-Necked Swan (Cygnus melancoryphus) - Least Concern (Bottom left)
4. The Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus) - Least Concern (Top left)
5. The Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator) - Least Concern (Top Center)
6. The Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus) - Least Concern
a. The Bewick's Swan (Cygnus columbianus bewickii) - Bottom center
b. The Whistling Swan (Cygnus columbianus columbianus) - Bottom right

Swans can be found in North America, Europe, Asia, Southern South America (in the case of the black-necked swan), and Australia (in the case of the black swan), though they've been introduced in some places, like New Zealand. Swans are more at home in temperate environments, but are rarely found in tropical areas. Swans are migratory birds, depending on the species and the times they tend to migrate each year. Swans feed both on land and in water. Although they're mostly herbivorous, feasting on aquatic plants, submerged plants, and algae they will sometimes eat tiny aquatic animals (such as molluscs, worms, small fish, and even frogs). A male swan is called a cob, a female is called a pen, and the young are called either cygnets or swanlings. Swans are famous for mating for life (even though 'divorces,' though very rare, tend to happen in some cases). If a mate dies, however, the remaining swan will take up with another swan. Unlike most other waterfowl, the male will help his mate build the nest and even take turns incubating the eggs. Swans may look beautiful, but most have gained a reputation as aggressive, territorial, and even dangerous (to the point where they'll attack any other waterfowl that dares shows up in their turf and there was even one record of a mute swan drowning a person. A smack for a swan's wing is said to break bone). There is one possible reason, however, since swans are highly protective of not only their territories, but are also highly protective of their young, which is why they'll attack anything that is deemed a threat to the cygnets, including humans. Regardless of that, swans are still symbols of love due to their long-lasting and monogamous relationships. The best known story about swans would have to be The Ugly Duckling (where a cygnet, believing he was a duckling after hatching in a duck's nest, becomes a beautiful swan). Today, no species of swan is in urgent danger of extinction, but are still protected (though the mute swan and the black swan are considered introduced species, being brought to different parts of the world and where the mute swans becomes invasive). However, they still face the same problems other birds do, which includes pollution and changes in the wetlands they call home. The trumpeter swan was even once hunted to extinction, only to be given a second chance to rebound and grow back into abundance by conservation. Two things we can do for swans is to make sure our wetlands are cleaned from any litter or pollution and avoid feeding them bread (it'll not only make the birds lose their fear of humans, but it's not really good for their health at all). Anyway, happy Swan Day!

Note: I know there is a day called SWAN Day (SWAN being abbreviated for Support Women Artists Now, but since it's spilled swan, I can't help but make this for the real swans).