Determine sex of mute swan? (2 Viewers)

[goon]

Another one of my occasional beginner questions!
When I was young I was told that you could tell the sex of an adult mute swan by the size of the bulge at the base of the upper bill. However, I can't find anything to support this on the web. Is it true?

Thanks for any replies!

Gareth Evans

 

[Steven Astley]

yes it's true gareth. It becomes more prominent in the breeding season. Also males have a deeper orange bill and i think, although this is through personal observation and not anything i have read, have a wider bill. The male is bigger and usually has thicker neck and more inclined to grunt at you. Also the big males are first in the que to take bread.

It's fairly easy to sort out which is a male in a pair but more difficult in a flock with alsorts of inbetweens. Also don't get young swans with adult looking white plumage but pale greyish bills and very small knobs mixed up with females.

 

[goon]

Thanks Steven. So I would be right in saying that of the pair I photographed just over a week ago, the cob is more likely the one with the larger bulge over the bill?

 

[jurek]

There is old Polish way of determining this.

The only way is to throw a piece of bread on the water. If he eats it, it is male. If she eats it, it is female.

 

[DJRWhittle]

Thanks Steven. So I would be right in saying that of the pair I photographed just over a week ago, the cob is more likely the one with the larger bulge over the bill?

Absolutely right.