Home > Illustration > Wildlife > Birds > Waterfowl > Mute Swan

Mute Swan

Mute Swan line art illustration (click image to enlarge)

Mute Swan full color illustration (click image to enlarge)

Artist's notes:

The Mute Swan was completed on 3.31.2010. This is the 500th drawing of the large image library I'm creating. I try and choose a special animal for these 'century marks.' I hadn't drawn any swans, but had wanted to for a long time. I wasn't sure of the pose, but I wanted to have something more eye catching than it simply sitting on the water. The drawing is based on a photo by Phyllis Keating.

Information about the Mute Swan:

The Mute Swan is a member of the family Anatidae, which includes ducks and geese. This large bird is native to much of Europe and Asia, but has also been successfully introduced into North America. These are very adaptable animals, and readily adapt to life in cities and other urban environments. The name comes from the fact that this species is much less vocal than other swans. These large birds are about 49 to 67 inches long (125 to 170 cm) with a 79-94 inch wingspan (200 to 240 cm) wingspan. Males are generally bigger than females, the distinctive knob on their bills is also larger and more prominent.