Cygnus olor · Irish: Eala Bhalbh
A graceful giant with an orange bill and a fierce parental streak.
Habitat: Lakes, slow rivers, canals and estuaries. | Season: All year
Despite the name, not truly silent — hisses and grunts, especially when defending cygnets; pairs mate for life and build enormous waterside nests.
A persistent myth holds that swans in Ireland and Britain are "owned by the state" — in truth Mute Swans are simply a fully protected wild species, but the old idea of royal swan ownership has never quite faded.
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