AT 5 ft from tip of bill to the end of the tail, the mute swan is our largest bird. This is the time of the year to watch the breeding behaviour of this proud and graceful species.

Because they are so conspicuous, mute swans have been the subject of mindless attack by vandals. We all need to be aware that the swan is protected by law but many people including me think that the punishment given to those who ill treat our wildlife is not severe enough.

The female swan lays up to 12 eggs and all through the incubation period of about 36 days the male is brave and aggressive in his defence of the nest. The male is called the cob and the female is called the pen. In the olden days quill pens were made from swans’ flight feathers, which were shed during thir moult. Hence we have the word pen, and to sharpen them, a pen knife.

At one time many swans died of lead poisoning as a result of eating the shot used by anglers as weight. These days lead shot is not used, and anglers are much more conservation concious. Despite this many swans are injured, sometimes fatally by getting tangled in fishing tackle including hooks and nylon line.

The biggest danger to swans, however, come from vandals and we all need to do our bit to protect these attractive birds.