Black Swan

The Black Swan (Cygnus atratus) is one of Australia’s most elegant waterbirds — and one that rewrote the rulebook for European naturalists, who had long assumed all swans were white. Found on lakes, rivers and wetlands across much of the country, the Black Swan is distinguished by its striking black plumage, bright red bill and the flash of white flight feathers visible only when its wings are spread. They’re highly social birds, often seen in large flocks, and are devoted parents — both male and female share the duties of incubating eggs and raising their cygnets. These photographs capture the Black Swan in its natural waterway habitat.