Today we witnessed the birth of a baby mute swan, down at Bayfront Park in Hamilton. That’s one for the bucket list.
The name ‘mute’ derives from it being less vocal than other swan species. Measuring 125 to 170 cm (49 to 67 in) in length, this large swan is wholly white in plumage with an orange beak bordered with black. It is recognizable by its pronounced knob atop the beak, which is larger in males. It is an introduced species in North America, home to the largest populations outside of its native range.
Here’s a short video of the spectacle.
UPDATE: It seems only one egg out of eight hatched. The cygnet was the only one to hatch of the swans’ eight eggs this year. Citation.