Black Swan
Cygnus atratus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderAnseriformes
- FamilyAnatidae (Anàtids)
- GenusCygnus (True Swans)
- SpeciesCygnus atratus (Black Swan)
The black swan (Cygnus atratus) is a large waterbird, a species of swan which breeds mainly in the southeast and southwest regions of Australia. Within Australia, the black swan is nomadic, with erratic migration patterns dependent on climatic conditions. It is a large bird with black plumage and a red bill. It is a monogamous breeder, with both partners sharing incubation and cygnet-rearing duties. Black swans can be found singly, or in loose companies numbering into the hundreds or even thousands. It is a popular bird in zoological gardens and bird collections, and escapees are sometimes seen outside their natural range. Wikipedia →
<5% of wildlife watchers report a Black Swan sighting in Royal National Park, based on 21 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Royal National Park
Australian Wood Duck
Chenonetta jubata
Pacific Black Duck
Anas superciliosa
Chestnut Teal
Anas castanea
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
Grey Teal
Anas gracilis
White-eyed Duck
Aythya australis
Muscovy Duck
Cairina moschata
Australasian Shoveler
Spatula rhynchotis
Plumed Whistling Duck
Dendrocygna eytoni
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Black Swan in Royal National Park?
About 1% of wildlife watchers report a Black Swan sighting in Royal National Park, based on 21 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Black Swan in Royal National Park?
April has the highest sighting rate for Black Swan in Royal National Park in our monthly data.