These birds feed while swimming, sometimes up-ending or dabbling to reach submerged food.
The diet is almost entirely aquatic plants.
They will eat both the leaves and stems of submerged and emergent vegetation.
They will also dig into muddy substrate underwater to extract roots and tubers.
In winter, they may also eat grasses and grains in fields.
They will often feed at night as well as by day.
Feeding activity, and the birds' weights, often peaks in the spring as they prepare for the breeding season.
The young initially include insects, small fish, fish eggs and small crustaceans in their diet, providing additional protein, and change to a vegetation-based diet over the first few months.
These birds feed while swimming, sometimes up-ending or dabbling to reach submerged food. The diet is almost entirely aquatic plants. They will eat both the leaves and stems of submerged and emergent vegetation. They will also dig into muddy substrate underwater to extract roots and tubers. In winter, they may also eat grasses and grains in fields. They will often feed at night as well as by day. Feeding activity, and the birds' weights, often peaks in the spring as they prepare for the breeding season. The young initially include insects, small fish, fish eggs and small crustaceans in their diet, providing additional protein, and change to a vegetation-based diet over the first few months.
Trumpeter swan