An Uncommon Sight: A Magnificent Black Swan Spotted in Shakespeare’s Hometown

A black swan was spotted on the River Avon in the town of Stratford, not far from London.

A black swan from Australia

“You don't see them often (…) I've lived here for years and I've never seen one,” a resident of Stratford told the BBC, known for being the birthplace of the famous playwright and poet William Shakespeare shows how rare this presence is. Since last week, a black swan has been strolling on the River Avon in the London area.

The presence of this species native to Australia is not common, although a survey of bird populations in 2012 revealed the presence of 37 confirmed breeding pairs in the United Kingdom.

Black swans introduced to the UK 85 years ago

The English media informs us that these swans traveled to the United Kingdom 85 years ago. Indeed, in 1940 a wildlife reserve was created at Dawlish in Devon. This reserve has therefore welcomed black swans, but also other exotic species of aquatic birds, with the aim of introducing them.

Moreover, this is where this black swan seen on the Avon River comes from, since according to Howard Smith, administrator of the Swan Sanctuary, an English charity dedicated to the care and treatment of swans and waterfowl, confided that most of the visible black swans have escaped from these places.

Exotic birds present in the United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, there are several species of exotic waterbirds which are regularly or occasionally observed. Apart from the black swan, there is for example the Baird's sandpiper. This shorebird is native to cold landscapes, such as Siberia, Alaska and Greenland.

There is also the Black-winged Pratincole, a species found mainly in Central Eurasia, or the Yellow Wagtail. There are, however, more commonplace species of waterfowl in the United Kingdom, such as the Pied Avocet, the Black-tailed Godwit and the Sedge Warbler.

Source: BBC