Released 2008-01-26

Mute Swans, Cygnus olor

Beautiful, graceful birds, mute swans in North America are a very successful invasive species. Native to Europe and large parts of Asia, they have spread rapidly since their introduction to the Americas. They live on or near lakes, swamps, and other bodies of water, and are now the most common species of swan seen in city and neighborhood parks.

Don't let their docile appearance fool you, however. Though mute swans are normally peaceful birds, they are ferociously protective of their nests and their young, and can be aggressively territorial. Given the large size of the birds -- males can stand over four feet tall, have a wingspan as great as nine feet, and weigh as much as 30 pounds -- the birds' protective instincts can be problematic for other species in the area, including humans. Mute swans have been known to attack canoes and jet skis that wander too close to nesting sites, and have even knocked some riders off of their jet skies -- occasionally to the cheers of other lakeside visitors.

This is a limited edition photograph with a total of 1000 photos printed across all sizes, as noted