Skip to main content

Learn more about the Urban Appeal

Identifying winter swans

Every winter thousands of Whooper Swans from Iceland and Bewick’s Swans from Arctic Russia migrate into UK and Ireland to spend the winter here. Telling these two black and yellow-billed swans apart can be tricky. Here we help you to separate these wild northern swans.

BTO bird identification videos are supported by Natureguides

Natureguides kindly provide species video clips for our bird identification videos.

Related content

Cuckoo 161318 portrait

Celebrating PJ

One bird, twelve journeys, 60 000 miles and invaluable scientific data: PJ the Cuckoo has left an incredible legacy.

Bewick's Swan. Chris Knights

BTO Data Reports

Our reports provide rigorous scientific information to inform Environmental Impact Assessments in the UK.

Into the Red. BTO

The Making of Into the Red

When 140 artists and writers come together, united by a common goal: to raise funds for the UK's most vulnerable birds.