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The Coscoroba Swan (Coscoroba coscoroba) is the smallest species of swan. Since it is only distantly related to the other swans it has its own genus, Coscoroba. Like all other swans it belongs to the family Anatidae.
Identification: this swan has white plumage except for black tips to the outer six primary feathers, although this black is often barely visible on the closed wing. In flight, the black wing tips are conspicuous. The bird has a red beak, legs and feet. They look somewhat more like geese than swans. The female looks almost identical to the male. The Coscoroba is also lacking the black mask that other Swans have where their lores are between the eyes and beak. They look like a very small Swan in body and look like a Goose in the head.
Distribution: breeds in South America from southern Chile and central Argentina south to Tierra del Fuego and the Falkland Islands. In winter they fly north to central Chile, northern Argentina, Uruguay and the south east tip of Brazil.
Habitat: well-vegetated swamps and lagoons, living mainly on grasses and small water plants but also mussels and fish. The population is estimated as 100,000 birds.
The female incubates the eggs, while the male stands guard and aggressively helps to protect the fledglings against predators after hatching. Coscoroba Swans live to an age of approximately twenty years.
The Coscoroba Swan may look like a Swan but it is not. It is in fact a Duck in the Dendrocygus Family that resembles Mute Swans. They even busk their wings just like a Mute Swan when upset or alarmed.
These are also said to be the legendary GooseSwans of South America.
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