TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A whooper swan, Finland’s national bird, has been photographed by a group of birdwatchers at a fish pond near Miaoli County’s Tongxiao Fishing Port, per PTS.
Whooper swans are admired for their size, as adults can weigh up to 9 kg and have a wingspan of 2.4 meters. They have a distinctive yellow patch on their beak and are otherwise completely white except for black legs and feet.
They are also occasionally referred to as “common swans," as their taxonomical name, “Cygnus cygnus,” reflects. Another fun fact about these swans is their loyalty to their habitat as well as their partners, as swans typically live in pairs.
In December 2022, a whooper swan surprised birdwatchers by wintering at the same fish pond in Miaoli County. Recently, the whooper swan has been photographed with a partner.
A pair of swans delight local birdwatchers in Miaoli County. (CNA photo)
The arrival of the whooper swan has attracted a large crowd of birdwatchers despite the cool weather in recent days.
"It appears to have come back again this year. It looks like the same bird. Everyone is amazed that this bird came back at about the same time,” said one birdwatcher.
Another birdwatcher commented, "I photographed it last year when it was still a juvenile. This time, it is back again. It came back to the same place. Many birdwatching friends have shared this message."
"Last migratory season, the same pond had a juvenile swan, though we cannot confirm it's the same bird because it wasn’t outfitted with an anklet or transmitter. However, waterfowl exhibit a high degree of loyalty to their habitat, said Wild Bird Association of Taiwan President Huang Shu-ting (黃蜀婷).
Huang says that whooper swans usually winter in Japan or Korea. Therefore, it’s very rare for the swan to appear in Taiwan. Huang is calling on the public to keep a proper distance from the swans to avoid scaring them away, helping make their appearance in Taiwan a regular occurrence each winter.
