All of us have seen swans at least once in our lives. These pristine, majestic birds are truly a wonder to marvel at. Swans are impressively large and are rumored to have quite the temper, especially when their younger ones are threatened. But do these hot-headed birds have teeth? Let’s find out.
Do swans have teeth? No, swans don’t have teeth. Swans are waterbirds belonging to the Anatidae family, along with ducks and geese, and all of these birds don’t have teeth. However, they have serrated edges around their beaks, which can give the impression of teeth. These jagged structures are called lamellae and are used to hold on to algae and catch slippery creatures like frogs and fish.
If you are an avid birder and want to know more about the bill structure of swans, you’re in the right place. In this article, we will tell you everything there is to know about the bill structure of swans.
What does a swan’s bill look like?
As we have mentioned before, unlike humans and most other mammals and animals, swans do not have teeth to chew their food. Nonetheless, a swan’s bill has undergone many specialized adaptations to make it easier for them to manipulate and eat their food.
A spatulate built: as you must have noticed, the bill of a swan is elongated and flattened. The structure of their bill helps them in crushing their food since they don’t have teeth to help them in doing so. However, the bill lacks the strength to grind super-tough food, unlike teeth. The spatulate build also filters the food from water or mud.
Lamellae: While the functions of lamellae in swans are the same as teeth, you’ll be surprised to know that they are made from the beak itself. Another factor that differentiates lamellae from teeth is that they do not contain enamel, which is a protective layer covering the teeth of humans and other mammals.
Instead, they contain cartilage, the same connective tissue human ears and noses are made of. However, that does mean that the lamellae are soft and flexible because a sharp bite can even draw blood.
Lamellae are pliable structures and are used for filtering and or straining food from mud and water. They are usually not visible until the swan opens its beak or if the swan has some injury or deformity at the side of its bill, which might expose them.
Nail: If you look closely, you’ll notice a small bump on the bill of a swan. The shape, size, and color of the bump may or may not be the same color as the bill, or it may contrast with the overall bill color. The nail is useful for the birds when they are digging through dirt or mud, looking for small seeds, worms, roots, or other foods.
Do swans have teeth on their tongues?
This is another frequently asked question about the oral structure of swans, however absurd it may sound.
Swans do not possess teeth on their tongues. They have lamellae on their tongues, as well as the edges around their beaks. The structures on their tongues help the birds in pulling out plants from the ground.
When swans are trying to pull grass out of the ground, they hold it down with their beaks and grip it with their serrated tongues. Then, they swiftly move their head up to uproot the grass.
Their spiked tongue also aids them in holding small prey like rats and insects. Even though the lamellae are not real teeth, they can cause pretty extensive damage to their prey.
Do swans hurt humans?
As we mentioned in the introduction, swans are known to be quite hot-tempered, especially when it comes to defending their eggs. So, you might be wondering if these birds can attack you.
The answer is no, not really. Even though there are many myths about how the wings of a swan might break a human’s limb, swans are usually not aggressive near humans. However, they are really aggressive towards other waterfowls, especially during their mating season, when they try to establish their territory.
However, remember to steer clear of a swan’s nest. Swans are very protective of their young ones. They will hiss and flap their wings at you, which might not be dangerous, but provoking an angry parent swan is unnecessary and perilous.
What do swans eat?
Swans are omnivores, with their usual diet consisting of aquatic plants, fish, and the occasional insects. However, their diet may vary depending on their habitats.
The swans that live in freshwater feed on pondweed, stonewort, and wigeon grass, along with tadpoles and insects like milfoils. On the other hand, swans that inhabit saltwater like to feed on sea arrow grass, salt marsh grass, eelgrass, club rush, and green algae, with insects and mollusks.
Feeding the swans
Do you wish to feed the swans in the pond near your house but don’t know if you should go ahead? Well, as we have already discussed, swans are not harmful to humans, especially the ones who offer them food.
You can feed them potatoes, cabbage, spinach, lettuce, and grains like wheat and corn. In fact, most green vegetables are perfectly healthy, except the nightshade plants, like tomatoes, eggplants, and more.
Foods to avoid
There are a few foods that you should strictly avoid feeding to your swans. We have curated a list for your convenience. Take a look:
- Popcorn
- Chocolate
- Bread
- Apples
- Onions
- Avocados
- Mushrooms
Important points to remember when feeding swans
There are a few pointers you must remember before feeding these birds anything.
- Remember to throw their food directly into the water because feeding them on the land is environmentally unsound. The reason behind this is that feeding them on the ground can encourage them to leave the water whenever they see people, making them vulnerable to cars and dogs. They also like to eat their food wet for easier swallowing since they don’t have teeth.
- Swans do not chew their food. Whatever you feed them, make sure it is in small, bite-sized pieces that the birds can easily consume without choking.
- Avoid feeding the birds if many people are already doing so. Too much food given to birds will only lead to their health degradation and wasted food.
- Do not feed the birds if they don’t seem to like the food or leave it uneaten. Any leftover food in their vicinity can quickly rot and give out a foul smell, along with attracting pesky pests.
- Do not allow your pets or children to pet, chase, or disturb the birds, particularly the young birds. It can make the birds aggressive and cause injury to your children or pets.
- Remember to check the local ordinances for laws that might restrict or prohibit feeding the waterfowls, or you may be facing penalties.
Conclusion
It is common knowledge that birds don’t possess teeth. But is the belief true for all birds? Well, as far as swans are considered, it is. Swans, like most of their relatives (ducks and geese), don’t have teeth.
However, in place of teeth, these birds do possess serrated edges around their beak, known as lamellae, which they use for catching slippery prey.
Despite lacking teeth, the swans are quite ferocious, particularly when it comes to protecting their younger ones. While these birds might quarrel with other waterfowl, they’re rarely aggressive towards humans and pose no threat to them unless provoked.