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Swan Census: Climate Change Splits Wildfowl Fortunes
15 Jan
Summary
- International swan census counts whooper and Bewick's swans this weekend.
- Whooper swan populations in the UK have nearly doubled in 25 years.
- Bewick's swan numbers have significantly declined, with few reported.
- Climate change is suggested as a cause for diverging swan populations.
This weekend marks the international swan census, a crucial survey tracking the populations of whooper and Bewick's swans in the UK and Ireland. Last conducted in January 2020, this six-yearly census aims to monitor population changes for these wintering species.
The survey's scope extends beyond the British Isles, encompassing overwintering Bewick's swans in the eastern Mediterranean and central Asia, and whooper swans in Iceland, northwest Europe, and around the Black Sea. This global reach provides a comprehensive view of their migratory patterns and numbers.
Recent trends reveal a stark contrast: whooper swan numbers in the UK have surged to approximately 20,000 in the last quarter-century. Conversely, Bewick's swan populations have dramatically fallen, with only about 700 reported recently, primarily at well-known southern England sites. Mild winters are implicated, boosting whooper survival while fewer Bewick's undertake the journey to the UK.
