Mute Swan

A fairly common resident with most now wintering just inland from the coast in North Somerset and summer moulting flocks occurring principally at CVL, from where the largest single count, of 190 in July 2018, comes.

There used to be a wintering flock in the Floating Harbour, Bristol,  but this has declined since feeding ceased in the early 2000s.

Davis (1947) said it was ‘resident in a semi feral state though many pairs are entirely wild. Frequent at the docks and reservoirs and not uncommon wherever there are suitable waters’. In the 1800s neither Wheeler (1874) nor Charbonnier (1899) included the species, presumably as any present were not considered wild.

According to Bland and Dadds (2012) there were probably less than 20 breeding pairs in the area prior to 1955, but this increased to 33 pairs by 1983, 40 by 1998 and 90 by 2012. They also give a population estimate of between 500 and 600.

White cygnets (so called Polish Swans) were present at CVL in September/October 2021 and between June and September 2023.