Whooper swans arrive in the UK each autumn from Iceland, wintering on flooded meadows, estuaries and wetland reserves. Their welfare at UK wintering sites is actively supported by management and supplementary feeding.
Whooper swan welfare at UK wintering sites is actively managed by WWT (Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust) and RSPB through habitat management and supplementary grain feeding. Birds that receive supplementary food at reserves show higher overwinter survival rates and return to Iceland in better condition than birds wintering on agricultural fields without supplementary feeding. Disturbance from walkers and vehicles on flooded farmland forces energy-expensive flights. Whooper swans that successfully winter with family groups intact maintain the social bonds that are important for navigating back to Iceland the following spring. WWT winter swan surveys — involving thousands of volunteers — provide welfare monitoring data across all UK whooper swan wintering sites.