German children name GPS tracked Bewick’s swan Leo

A pre-school class of children in northern Germany has adopted a wild Bewick’s swan as it roosted near their school on its migration from the UK to Russia and named it Leo.

The class with swans in the background (c) Christiane Herrmann

 

Leo the swan is being tracked via GPS by the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT), along with sixteen other Bewick’s swans, to help locate wind farms away from their migration route.

After crossing the North Sea from Norfolk where he spent the winter, Leo roosted near Beringstedt in northern Germany. WWT researchers tipped off German swan enthusiasts, Stefan Rathgeber and Stefan Wolff, who arranged for the class to visit the swans’ roost site and choose a name for the tracked swan.

Bewick’s swans fly 2,500 miles between their summer breeding grounds in arctic Russia and the wetlands of the UK and Holland. Along the way, wetland habitats are vital for them to rest and feed before continuing their migration. Their fleeting appearances in different countries have caught the attention of local communities for generations.

WWT researcher Julia Newth works closely with the Bewick’s swans during winter. She said

“I love the swans that I study from my office window each winter and it’s wonderful to think that those same birds are bringing a thrill to a nursery class in Germany, or are being admired by fishermen in Estonia or villagers in Russia. Unbeknown to them, these swans are a cultural link between these different groups of people.”

So far this spring, the GPS tracked swans have been seen in Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Lithuania, Lativa, Poland and Estonia. As temperatures warm, they will make their way up to the Russian arctic to attempt to breed.

The number of Bewick’s swans in Europe has been in sharp decline for two decades. It is likely to be linked to a series of years where the population has produced relatively low numbers of cygnets. This poor productivity is thought to be connected to the effects of climate change on their breeding season. WWT staff are currently analysing data with partners across Europe to try to identify the cause of the decline, so a safe future can be secured for Europe’s smallest swans.

Follow Julia’s blog to find out more about Bewick’s swans.

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