Can Swans Fly? (What You Need to Know)

All swans are capable of flight, some reaching altitudes of 6,000 to 8,000 feet, traveling at an average speed of 20 to 30 miles per hour, and covering thousands of kilometers per year. The swan is the largest extant member of the waterfowl family Anatidae and one of the largest and heaviest flying birds.

There are seven known extant species within Cygnus. they are:

• mute swan
• Tundra Swan (subspecies: Bewick’s Swan and Whistling Swan)
• whooper swan
• trumpeter swan
• coscoroba
• Black Swan
• black necked swan

Swans live in many countries around the globe where summers range from mild to warm and rainfall is seasonal or distributed over part of the year. Some species migrate partially, while others completely migrate. During winter migration, depending on the species, some will travel long distances to warmer climates or in search of better food reserves.

Swans are graceful birds that may seem slow as they glide through the water. Once in the air, however, they can fly very fast, with some species having been recorded flying as fast as 60 miles per hour.

Beavix swans in flight

How far can a swan fly?

Some species, such as Bewick’s and whooper swans, travel thousands of kilometers each year to and from their breeding grounds, while others can fly hundreds of miles per day. Some species can fly about 2,000 kilometers without refueling. They go in search of food, a better place to live or find their mate.

Of all the swan species, the Bewick’s swan migrates the farthest. They mainly spend the winter in the UK, 3,500 kilometers from Russia and the Asian tundra, and stop only briefly to feed and rest.

Bewick’s records show that some 4,000 miles (6,437 kilometers) were flown in less than 10 weeks, while another GPS-tracked flew 831 kilometers during a 36-hour portion of its journey and then flew again in 15 hours. covered 1,337 kilometers with an average speed of just over 55 miles per hour (89 kilometers per hour).

How fast can a swan fly?

Typically, swans fly at 20 to 30 miles per hour. Some flocks have been known to fly at 50 to 70 mph in a tailwind.

The mute swan has a wingspan of up to 238 cm and can reach speeds of 50 mph (80 km/h).

A pair of whooper swans in flight

How high can a swan fly?

Depending on the species, most swans fly at about 2,000 to 4,000 feet. However, some fly to higher altitudes during migration. For example, radar recorded a flock of whooper swans flying over Northern Ireland at an altitude of 26,500 feet (8,000 meters). Tundra swans can fly at speeds of 50 to 60 miles per hour and reach altitudes of 6,000 to 8,000 feet.

Do swans fly in formation?

Swans migrate in flocks, forming a diagonal or V-shape. A bird takes the lead and their job is to lead the flock through the air. Swans take turns leading the flock; when one gets tired, another bird takes its place.

How old can a swan be to fly?

Cygnets take their first flight at around 12 weeks of age or when their flight feathers and breast muscles are strong enough. They make several trial flights at a time until they are strong enough to make each flight longer.

Muted cygnets are flightless until they are 120 to 150 days old.

mute swan cygnet in flight

How far do swans migrate?

How far swans migrate depends on the species, but some swans can fly about 4,000 miles when migrating, often in flocks of up to 100 birds.

Whooper swans make the longest sea-crossing migration between Great Britain, Ireland and Iceland, covering distances of up to 870 miles (1,400 kilometers). They can fly 620 miles in 12 hours at 55 miles per hour.

When migrating, tundra swans can fly hundreds of miles per day, at an average speed of between 18 and 30 miles per hour, and at altitudes of 6,000 to 8,00 feet. Birds have been recorded flying at speeds of 50 to 60 miles per hour with a tailwind.

Trumpet swan preparing to take off from the water

Do swans and cygnets fly together?

Adult swans will fly with their young, joining other birds in non-breeding areas. At about four months old, tundra swans make their first long-distance flight with their parents. They understand migration routes and where to feed and rest.

How far can mute swans fly?

Native to much of Europe and Asia, the mute swan (Cygnus Olor) is one of the largest and heaviest flying birds in the world. The distance traveled depends on whether they migrate.

Some will remain within their normal territories year-round as long as there is an adequate food supply, while others may travel short distances to form winter flocks in nearby lakes and rivers.

For example, most of the UK’s resident birds live very close to their birthplaces (less than 30 miles in flight). Only about 3 percent of these birds flew more than 60 miles, not far from their birthplaces, the study found.

Migratory species from Europe may migrate to North Africa, parts of India and the Middle East to overwinter.

mute swan takes off

How far can a whooper swan fly?

Whooper swans are fully migratory and can fly great distances. They can fly non-stop from Scotland to Iceland during their migration, approximately 620 miles (1,000 km).

How far can a black swan fly?

Black swans (Cygnus atratus) are not migratory but nomadic, so the exact distances they can fly are unknown. Typically, they fly at night and rest in open water during the day in search of better wetlands and a good food supply.