Whooper swans Jan. 14, 2024

Whooper swans

An elegant creature for a majestic setting. These all-white birds with yellow-and-black bills, gliding on the mirror of Lake Kussharo in Japan, are whooper swans—the Eurasian equivalent to the North American trumpeter swans. Named for their loud "whooping" call, these beauties, with a wingspan between 2 to 3 metres, are one of the world"s heaviest birds that are able to fly. While whooper swans are Finland"s national bird, they only spend their breeding season there. Those swans, as well as others in various northern areas, migrate to warmer, often coastal areas when cold weather sets in. All that travel doesn"t ruin their relationships—these waterfowl form strong, monogamous pairs that can last for life.

© Darrell Gulin/DanitaDelimont.com

palette

Today in History

A delightful day for donkeys
Jan. 14, 2025Village of Zahara de la Sierra, Cadiz, Spain

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Flying the flag for Pride
Oct. 23, 2023Corn maze in Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania
Jan. 10, 2024Mylopotamos, Thessaly, Greece
Jun. 6, 2024The 80th anniversary of D-Day
Sanctuary among the trees
Jan. 18, 2025Dunes at White Sands National Park, New Mexico
Oct. 25, 2025Martimoaapa Mire Reserve, Finland
Oct. 1, 2024Yosemite National Park, California, USA
Jun. 25, 2024Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada
Sep. 26, 2023Venice Skatepark, Los Angeles, California
Feb. 18, 2024World Whale Day
A sky full of stars
Stairway to where?
‘The hills have a power to soothe and heal which is their very own.’
Apr. 2, 2024Beech trees and anemone wildflowers, Jutland, Denmark
Dec. 27, 2024Lake Bled, Slovenia
Aug. 27, 2024Young black caiman, Tambopata National Reserve, Peru
Mar. 22, 2025Happy World Water Day!
Aug. 17, 2024International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend
Apr. 10, 2025Siblings Day
Jun. 25, 2025Glastonbury Festival begins
May the 4th be with you
Mar. 10, 2025National Napping Day
Nov. 15, 2025Irohazaka Road in autumn, Nikko, Tochigi, Japan
Sep. 4, 2023Camels in the desert, United Arab Emirates
A glimpse of the grandest of canyons
Mar. 19, 2025A black heron canopy hunting in Botswana
Magnified moss
Sep. 9, 2024Iguazu Falls at the border of Argentina and Brazil
Turtle-y nice day for a swim