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Mute swans affect aquatic vegetation communities as a result of their grazing. A study in Maryland found swans eat as much as 8 pounds a day of underwater aquatic vegetation, removing habitat and food for other species more quickly than these grasses could recover.
The mute swan (Cygnus olor) is a species of swan and a member of the waterfowl family Anatidae. It is native to much of Eurasia, and (as a rare winter visitor) the far north of Africa.
6 lis 2023 · While not a staple food source, mute swans occasionally eat small aquatic invertebrates to supplement their herbivorous diet. Larvae, snails, shrimp, and insect nymphs may be consumed if readily available when the swans are foraging underwater.
Diet of the Mute Swan. The vast majority of this species’ diet is herbivorous, but they also feed on small aquatic creatures. They browse on eelgrass, algae, sea lettuce, pondweed, and other aquatic plants. On land, they graze on flowering grasses, grains, lettuce, and cracked corn.
Although primarily vegetarian, all swan species do occasionally eat insects, fish, crustaceans, molluscs and small amphibians, either intentionally or as an added bonus when swallowing underwater weeds. Read on to learn more about the animals and insects that may be eaten by swans.
The exotic Mute Swan is the elegant bird of Russian ballets and European fairy tales. This swan swims with its long neck curved into an S and often holds its wings raised slightly above its back.
