Bird guideBlack Swan

A monogamous breeder where both partners share incubation and cygnet-rearing duties.

⚠️Not listed
🌿Endemic to Australia
🍃Indigenous: Barayamal, Baayamal, Burrunda, Marli

At a glance

FamilyDucks, Geese, and Waterfowl
SizeGiant
RarityCommon
HabitatTypically found along inland waterways, rivers, sewage ponds, and coastal lagoons and inlets.
Best timeReported across most months in Victoria, with no narrow seasonal peak.

Sounds

Sound sample
0:000:00
Recorded by Sonothèque ADVL

Range map

Range map

6262visible hotspots
550341visible records
6states
Low confidenceMediumHigh confidence

Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.

Species notes

Overview

When swimming this species is almost entirely black. Wings show extensive white flight feathers when flying. Juveniles are similar but dark-gray. In Australia, compare with Magpie Goose, which has white belly, and white underwing with black tips.

Behavior

Typically found along inland waterways, rivers, sewage ponds, and coastal lagoons and inlets. Sometimes flocks together in enormous numbers on large wetlands.

Regional timing

Western Australia
Peak: October to March50,296 records
Victoria
Peak: September to May227,190 records
New South Wales
Peak: July to May113,031 records
South Australia
Peak: October to February47,849 records
Queensland
Peak: January to December60,330 records
Northern Territory
Peak: July to November3,608 records
Tasmania
Peak: September to April34,052 records
Australian Capital Territory
Peak: December to March28,244 records
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