Swan Lake
by Ronald Osborne
Title
Swan Lake
Artist
Ronald Osborne
Medium
Painting - Watercolour On Wood
Description
Chilean lake with a family of Black Neck Swans. The Black-necked Swan (Cygnus melancoryphus) is the largest waterfowl found in southern South America - yet it is the second-smallest swan (the smallest being the Coscoroba Swan).
The Black-necked Swans occur in both saltwater and freshwater habitats -- such as lagoons, freshwater marshes, swamps, lakes and sheltered coastal areas - in southern South America. They are native to the Chile, Argentina; Uruguay, Brazil and Paraguay; and vagrants to the Antarctic Peninsula and Juan Fernández Islands (off the coast of Chile).
The Black-necked Swans breed in Zona Sur (central Chile), Patagonia (Chile and Argentina); as well as Tierra del Fuego (an island group off the southernmost tip of the South American mainland) and Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
They migrate north to spend the winter in Paraguay and southern Brazil.
In Argentina, the Laguna Blanca National Park offers them a protected home.
In Chile, many are found in wetland areas of the Carlos Anwandter Nature Sanctuary located in the Cruces River.
In southeast Uruguay, the Black-necked Swan is most common in Laguna de Roch, where up to 7,000-10,000 Black-necked Swans have been counted.
The Falkland Islands are home to about 200 breeding pairs, which appear to be mostly resident (remaining year-round); except possibly the occasional flights to and from the South American continent.
The Black-necked Swan was previously placed in the monotypic genus, Sthenelides.
The male is called a "cob" - from Middle English Cobbe (leader of a group); the female "pen," and their chicks are known as "cygnets" - from the Latin word for swan, Cygnus.
Uploaded
February 20th, 2012
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