Wildlife

Wild Bewick Swan Winter Welfare

Bewick swans winter in the UK from their Siberian breeding grounds. Their welfare at wintering sites depends on access to food and shelter from disturbance.

Key Facts

UK wintering Bewick swan numbers have declined significantly from peak of 7,000 to below 4,000
Individual swans can be identified by unique bill patterns - WWT has records going back decades
Climate change has shifted the population's wintering distribution eastward
They feed on agricultural land and wetlands for roots and waste grain
Familiarity with feeding sites is important - returning families use the same areas year after year

Welfare Considerations

Bewick swans displaced from traditional wintering sites must find alternative food, incurring energy costs during a period when condition maintenance is critical. The long-term decline in UK wintering numbers reflects changes in both breeding and wintering site conditions. Protecting core wintering sites from disturbance maintains welfare for individual birds and supports population recovery.

What You Can Do

Support WWT Bewick swan monitoring at Slimbridge and other sites
Record Bewick swan family groups through WWT citizen science
Avoid disturbing swan feeding flocks in agricultural fields