Driving through downtown Hobart, I noticed a flock of mute swans out on Lake George. Couldn't resist the photo op!

Mute Swans are native to this part of the U.S., but after reading up on the breed, I'm quite sure these birds are not local. You'll notice in the photos that the mature birds have necks that are not pure white, but have a brown cast. This is caused when birds feed in waters and mud that contains higher levels of iron.

Mute Swans are large birds. The length of the swan varies from 56 - 62 inches, and the wingspan from 6.5 ft. to just over 8 ft. Contrary to popular belief, these swans do not mate for life. The greatest age recorded for a banded mute swan was 19 years. In captivity, they have lived 30 to 40 years.

Mute swans have keen vision and hearing. Mute swans are usually silent, as the name suggests. Adults sometimes snort and make hissing noises or puppy-like barking notes or whistles, though the sounds are not far-reaching due to their straight trachea. Also, the sound of the wings during flight, which has been described as a musical throbbing or humming, is very audible. They also use visual displays as a form of communication, such as postures. For example, in an aggressive posture, males often arch their secondary wing feathers over the back.