Bewick's Swan

• Bewick’s swan are 121 cm in length and have a wingspan of 196 cm
• This swan is a smaller cousin of the much commoner whooper swan
• It is very similar in appearance to the whooper swan with all-white plumage and a black bill with a curved patch of yellow at the base
• However the Bewick’s swan has shorter-looking neck, stockier body and a more rounded head
• This swan visits Ireland only in the winter
• Bewick’s swan can be seen in small numbers mainly around Loughs Neagh and Beg
• Bewick’s swan graze on pasture land
• They are best seen from October to March
• Check any herd of whooper swans encountered in fields in the Lough Neagh/Beg area or around Lough Foyle, as single Bewick’s or small groups could be mixed in with them