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Fascinating Feathers of the Mute Swan
This beautiful mute swan came ashore at Tommy Thompson Conservation Park to do a little preening.
"Mute Swans have approximately 25,000 feathers. Preening involves both cleaning them to ensure they are free from dirt and parasites, and distributing oil over them, from a gland near their tail (called the uropygial gland). This is to ensure the feathers remain waterproof. Being waterproof is critical to swans’ survival, especially in winter."
from muteswansociety.org/about/
Fascinating Feathers of the Mute Swan
This beautiful mute swan came ashore at Tommy Thompson Conservation Park to do a little preening.
"Mute Swans have approximately 25,000 feathers. Preening involves both cleaning them to ensure they are free from dirt and parasites, and distributing oil over them, from a gland near their tail (called the uropygial gland). This is to ensure the feathers remain waterproof. Being waterproof is critical to swans’ survival, especially in winter."
from muteswansociety.org/about/