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| The mute swan is the largest Irish
bird. She has glistening white feathers and a graceful neck and she is
beautiful and has black legs and feet. The mute swan is so called because
she is unable to sing sweetly. She hates lake dwellers and makes a hissing
noise. She eats water weeds, water beetles and tadpoles. The mute swan
weighs about 12 kg and is a powerful flyer. The female mute swan is called
a pen and lays four to seven greenish white eggs. The male mute swan is
called a cob he guards the female from rats and otters
While she is keeping her eggs warm. The baby mute swans are called cygnets. It takes Nearly six for the eggs to hatch. It is believed that mute swans were introduced into Britain and Ireland from cyprus by Richard the first at the close of the twelfth century. The mute swan is supposed to honk loudly just before it dies. The Irish for mute swan is Eala Bhalbh. Its length is 152cm. The male is a little bigger than the female. Mute swans Have orange bills and a black knob. It is said that 5000 mute swans live in Ireland. The Mute swan is the heaviest bird that can fly. The trumpeter swan is the largest of all the species. Its plumage is white and it has a black bill. Lisa Delaney Illustration by Keith Kerrigan |
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