Whooper swans in Lake Kussharo, Japan Jan 14, 2024

Whooper swans in Lake Kussharo, Japan

An elegant creature for a majestic setting. These whooper swans, gliding on the mirror-like surface of Japan"s Lake Kussharo, are close relatives of North America"s trumpeter swans. Named for their loud call, whooper swans are one of the world"s heaviest flying birds, weighing up to around 30 pounds and boasting wingspans of between 7 and 9 feet. Whooper swans are found across Eurasia and are Finland"s national bird, spending their breeding season there before migrating to warmer areas for winter. All that travel doesn"t ruin their relationships—these waterfowl form strong, monogamous pairs that can last for life.

© Darrell Gulin/DanitaDelimont.com

palette

Today in History

Jan 14, 2018Sanday Island and the North Sea, Scotland
Jan 14, 2019An island oasis in the Indian Ocean
Jan 14, 2020Going head-to-head with winter
Jan 14, 2021Summer huts in winter
Jan 14, 2022Road to Sa Calobra, Majorca, Spain
Jan 14, 2023Feast of the Donkey
Jan 14, 2025Village of Zahara de la Sierra, Cadiz, Spain
Jan 14, 2026National Take the Stairs Day

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Jan 7, 2025Moeraki Boulders, South Island, New Zealand
Oct 7, 2018Room at the top?
Oct 10, 2018Space is for everyone
Mar 27, 2020Pretty in pink, and purple, and red…
Oct 28, 2022Frankenstein Friday
Mar 9, 2024Bisti/De-Na-Zin Wilderness, New Mexico
Aug 31, 2020At the shore of an inland sea
Mar 24, 2025African bush elephants in Namibia
Feb 9, 2025Alstrom Point, Lake Powell, Utah
Jan 2, 2019Tesla, the visionary
Mar 17, 2024St. Patricks Day
Aug 12, 2025World Elephant Day
Aug 27, 2025World Lake Day in the Faroe Islands
Jul 1, 2026Canada Day
Apr 4, 2022Norway s Kjeragbolten boulder
Apr 19, 2023Taiwan yuhinas in Alishan National Scenic Area
Feb 2, 2022Groundhog Day
Feb 15, 2023Hippo family in Chobe National Park, Botswana
Mar 8, 2025International Womens Day
Jan 13, 2022Tasiilaq, Greenland
Feb 16, 2019It’s not a pinecone, it’s a pangolin
Aug 30, 2020Hay, what s up?
Aug 3, 2024Three Natural Bridges, Wulong Karst, China
Oct 4, 2025World Space Week
Feb 23, 2023The lights of Paris
Mar 18, 2018Christmas Tree Point Road and Twin Peaks, San Francisco
Feb 8, 2025Medieval towers in Mestia, Upper Svaneti, Georgia
Apr 27, 2020That s quite a schnoz, baby tapir
Jan 18, 2021A step toward freedom
Apr 3, 2021A light at the edge of the world