Birds for Kids

NATURAL WORLD : BIRDS - SWANS Swans are among the largest of flying birds and live near the water, building untidy nests on the banks, Males called cobs are heavier than the females who are called pens. A  baby swan is called a cygnet. Black or white, they have many layers of feathers and a wingspan of about 10 ft. Their webbed feet are black which they use to  paddle fast underneath while they seem to be floating on the water. There are several species like Trumpeter swans, Cygnus swans and Mute swans. Black swans are found around Australia and New Zealand while white swans are more common in other areas north of the equator. Let me tell you an interesting fact here... Swans that live in the Northern Hemisphere (above the equator) have white feathers or plumage while those that live in the Southern Hemisphere (below the equator) have black and white feathers. Swans feed on aquatic plants, grains and insects. Their long necks help to dip deep into the water to snap off stems, ...