Mute Swan x Whooper Swan

Mute Swan x Whooper Swan hybrid, Fairburn Ings (Yorkshire, UK), 27th February 2010 - copyright Mark Coates

(photo ID: 2104)

This smart hybrid turns up occasionally, perhaps as a result of oversummering Whooper Swans in a region where the only breeding swan is Mute Swan.  Such over-summering birds may be injured wild birds unable to perform their normal migration, or escaped birds.

Mute Swan x Whooper Swan hybrid (same bird as in photo ID 2104 above), Fairburn Ings (Yorkshire, UK), 27th February 2010 - copyright Mark Coates

(photo IDs: 2105-2106)

A useful illustration from Joern showing the variability in bill pattern of Mute Swan x Whooper Swan hybrids.

Mute Swan x Whooper Swan hybrids - copyright Joern Lehmhus

(illus. ID: 0761)

And here are two birds that reflect some of that variation:

Mute Swan x Whooper Swan hybrids, West Midlands (UK), 14th September 2012 - copyright John Oates

(photo ID: 2735)

Mute Swan Cynus olor
Whooper Swan Cygnus cygnus