Cygnus atratus
Silhouette: An Ignorant Atheist · PhyloPic
In 3 days <5%
The black swan (Cygnus atratus) is a large waterbird, a species of swan which breeds mainly in the southeast and southwest regions of Australia. Within Australia, the black swan is nomadic, with erratic migration patterns dependent on climatic conditions. It is a large bird with black plumage and a red bill. It is a monogamous breeder, with both partners sharing incubation and cygnet-rearing duties.
Black swans can be found singly, or in loose companies numbering into the hundreds or even thousands. It is a popular bird in zoological gardens and bird collections, and escapees are sometimes seen outside their natural range. The black swan was introduced to various countries as an ornamental bird in the 1800s, but has managed to escape and form stable populations.
This bird is a regional symbol of both Western Australia, where it is native, and the English town of Dawlish, where it is an introduced species. Described scientifically by English naturalist John Latham in 1790 as Anas atrata, the black swan was later placed into the genus Chenopis. In 1997, the species was placed in the genus Cygnus, in the subgenus Chenopis. The species is monotypic. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gauja National Park | 🇱🇻 Latvia | |
| 2 | Wilsons Promontory National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 3 | Maria Island National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 4 | Booderee National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Freycinet National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 6 | Cévennes National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 7 | Great Otway National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 8 | Abel Tasman National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 9 | Flinders Chase | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 10 | Grampians National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 11 | Rottnest Island | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 12 | Fiordland National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 13 | Kosciuszko National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 14 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 15 | Noosa National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 16 | Hattah-Kulkyne National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 17 | Snowdonia National Park | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 18 | Rakiura National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 19 | Wadden Sea National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 20 | Royal National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Black Swan sighting in Milan on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 117th most-seen of the 124 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, if each day is a fresh chance.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Black Swan in Milan on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Between 2 and 5 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Black Swan sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
22nd of 26
Of the 26 cities where we can rate Black Swan sightings, Milan ranks 22nd at under 5%. The best odds are in Perth (Australia, about 50%), Auckland (New Zealand, about 30%) and Belém (Brazil, about 30%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Black Swan is recorded against all the birds logged in Milan (5 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
