Black Swans, For Ever Together.

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During a trip to Castle Heeswijk, where you can read more about here, I came across these beautiful Black Swans.

According to stories, these Swans would be the descendants of a couple that the Baron and Baronesse had received as a wedding present. A very nice romantic story. But reality is different.

Black Swans stay together all their lives. Around the age of two, they choose a partner for life. But they are totally unfit. So that there is still a couple of Black Swans swimming around in the castle pond is more of a coincidence than planned. Because the Zwarte Zwaan can travel many hundreds of kilometers in search of a breeding ground, he takes care of his distribution himself. And the water at the Castle is a beautiful freshwater spot with enough food and natural hiding places for this graceful bird.

This bird does not occur naturally in Europe at all. It is an exotic that has its roots in Tasmania, Australia and New Zealand. By breeding in captivity and expulsion, this bird is now also found in the wild in Europe. In Europe, the climate is such that these Black Swans breed throughout the year.