Kingdom: Animalia      Phylum: Chordata      Class: Aves (Birds)      Order: Anseriformes      Family: Anatidae

Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus)
 

Tundra swan (Cygnus columbianus) breeds in arctic areas of Alaska, Canada, and Russia. This bird is a winter vagrant in India. During migration and in the winter, tundra swans prefer marshes, lakes, large rivers, and fields. They migrate in flocks that are usually comprised of family members.

Nests of plant material are built on tundra near water. The female lays a clutch of about five eggs; the eggs are incubated by the female alone for about one month. The young can fly at about ten weeks of age, but stay with their parents until the following breeding season. The tundra swan eats primarily aquatic plants, but it also eats grasses and some aquatic invertebrates.