Polish Mute Swans

Royal Polish Mute Swan

 

The Polish Mute Swan is a colour morph of the Royal Mute Swan. 

 

In Great Britain Royal Mute Swans belong to the Crown, this means we cannot keep them in captivity in the UK.

 

We do thankfully have the Polish Mute Swan, this is classed as a colour morph and in turn essentially a domesticated variant of the species. Selective breeding was done in mainland Europe, meaning all Polish Mute Swans are not descendants of the Royal Mutes owned by the Crown. 

Because of this, as long as captive birds are pure Polish and rung/ microchipped to prove breeding heritage, we can also like the rest of the World, keep these incredible Swans in captivity!

 

Proving purity comes in three forms.

 

Firstly, adult Polish Mutes look identical to Royal Mutes except for their leg colour which is pinkish grey, to almost white. Where a Royal Mutes leg colour is jet Black.

Secondly, Polish Cygnets are born pure white down with pink feet and bill, rather than grey down and black feet and bill. As the cygnets grow, they grow white feathers from day one, they do not grow the grey feathers as juveniles like the Royal Mute Swan.

 

Thirdly, this comes with paperwork and breeder declarations. Both parents must be pure and cygnets must have no grey feathering at any stage in their life. A declaration must be supplied to prove captive breeding and the birds fitted with a closed leg ring or microchip.

 

 

Attached references do go into more detail and show more photos.

https://swanlovers.net/polish-and-royal-mute-swans/

https://www.birdguides.com/.../orn.../what-is-a-polish-swan/

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Mute_Swan/overview...(called,white%20down%20and%20juvenal%20feathers.

http://therattlingcrow.blogspot.com/.../mute-swan-colour...