Video of Swans’ Beautiful Courtship Ritual Is Making Everyone Swoon
Many people know that swans mate for life, but how exactly do they find their perfect mate? They search for their mate by performing a courtship ritual, and if it's a match, it's forever. CBS News shared a video of two swans courting each other on Tuesday, March 26th and it was absolutely lovely to see.
The video of the swans was recorded in England. It's less than 30 seconds long, but it's long enough to understand the ritual and what it's all about. Watch as the two swans delicately dance around each other, and how their beaks and necks come together to form a perfect heart.
Wasn't that just beautiful? I wish CBS News had a longer video of the swans together - it's like a moment of Zen I didn't know that I needed! Commenters agreed that the peaceful moment between the two was swoon worthy, and I'm sure most of them watched it more than once like I did...I wonder if the two swans became mates!
Related: Rescue Swan Returning to His Mate After 2 Weeks Is So Touching
More About Swans' Courtship Ritual
The courtship ritual was so stunning to watch that I decided to learn more about it. I headed over to Chipper Birds and found out how intricate this process really is for the birds.
The ritual begins with a beautiful dance that includes synchronized movements, head bobbing, and graceful displays of affection...like coming together to form a perfect heart. The dance is the beginning of the couple's bonding, but it also establishes dominance and compatibility between them. Bonding is reinforced through mutual preening, "where partners groom each other’s feathers as a sign of affection and care."
When it's decided that they are perfect for each other, the ‘triumph ceremony,’ occurs. The male displays his dominance by arching his neck and flapping his wings to show potential rivals that the female is no longer looking for love. It also shows off the male swan’s strength and determination to protect his mate. The actual mating process is quick, and once completed, the two start their new life together.
Next, the couple works on finding the perfect spot to build their new home, the nest where their babies will be born. These nests are built near a body of water, and together the couple finds reeds, twigs, and feathers to form the nest. Soon after, the female will leg her eggs. Mother swans typically lay 4-10 eggs knowing that not all of the cygnets will survive. Once the female swan lays her eggs, both parents spend time protecting and incubating the eggs over the next month. When the babies (called cygnets) hatch, the two both are responsible to protect and raise their brood. This will happen all over again each mating cycle, which is typically between the months of March and May.
You can Google 'swan courtship ritual' and find many videos of the performance. But word to the wise, don't do it while you are trying to work, or you might find yourself down a rabbit hole learning more than you ever wanted to know about swans!
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