Other Swans found in the area.

Whooper Swan
Although not often seen on the Tweed at Berwick, the Whooper Swan (Cygnus cygnus) can be found most winters just a few miles inland on pastures alongside the river. These large white swans about the same size as the Mute Swan arrive in the area from Iceland and can be found at any time between September and April.

They differ from the Mute by having a longer flatter bill which is yellow and black in colour rather than the red of the Mute. Whoopers also hold their necks straight whereas the Mutes kneck tends to be 'S' shaped.

Bewick's Swan
Bewick's Swan (Cygnus columbianus) is infrequently seen at Berwick. This swan is a smaller version of the Whooper and breeds in Siberia. Flocks of Bewick's winter in the U.K. every year, and tend to arrive in November.

Bewick's Swan is smaller than either the Mute or the Whooper, has a yellow and black bill like the whooper but has a shorter neck and shorter tail.

Black Swan
The Black Swan (Cygnus atratus) is a non-indiginous species, slightly smaller than the Mute, hailing from Australia. It has been introduced to the UK where it is fairly common on park lakes and in the grounds of country houses. Several of these Black Swans have now found their way into the wild, and at least one pair has been reported to have bred in the wild.

In 1997 I observed a Black Swan at Berwick several times swimming with the herd of Mutes on the Tweed, and in 1998 one arrived in May and was still there in August. Furthermore a second Black arrived in early June, and the pair left the herd of mutes and swam around together for about a week. Unfortunately the second black then left and I have not seen it since. The original one then rejoined the Mutes and spends all its time foraging for food with them. A Black was also observed for a few weeks in May 1999 which I assume to be the same one which was there for the previous two years.