Animals - Animal types and traits - Swans - Birds - Bird anatomy
What is the purpose of swans' long necks?
Correct!
A swan's long neck is particularly useful when searching for food in the water. Swans feed largely on aquatic plants and can extend their heads and necks far below the surface of the water without having to completely submerge. Swans are often seen in the typical “head under water” position: the front body is under water while the rear protrudes upwards. With their long neck they can reach leaves, stems, roots and other parts of plants at the bottom of the water. Trumpeter swans, for example, search for algae as well as leaves, stems and roots of aquatic plants in this way. The Bewick's swan or tundra swan shows how great the advantage of a long neck can be: It can stretch its neck under water and reach food up to about one meter below the water surface. Swans do not normally have to completely submerge themselves like ducks or cormorants do. Mute swans, for example, dip their heads and long necks into the water and, if necessary, tilt their bodies forward to reach deeper aquatic plants.
The long neck helps swans reach aquatic plants beneath the surface without having to completely submerge.
