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:

Apr 9, 2025Naxos in the Cyclades Islands of Greece
Feb 2, 2026Groundhog Day
Jul 11, 2023World Population Day
Mar 23, 2024World Meteorological Day
Oct 4, 2019World Space Week begins
Mar 28, 2022Kawachi Fuji Garden
Jan 23, 2021A sleeping green giant
Jun 28, 2025Pride 2025
Mar 12, 2021Ringing in the new year at Teotihuacan
Mar 31, 2018Cherry blossoms at the National Mall, Washington, DC
Nov 21, 2025World Hello Day
Feb 4, 2024Devetashka Cave, Devetaki, Bulgaria
Jul 7, 2022Heceta Head Light, Florence, Oregon
Dec 17, 2020Pining for spring
Aug 9, 2022International Day of the World s Indigenous Peoples
Nov 29, 2023Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting
Oct 22, 2021Jasper Dark Sky Festival
Dec 4, 2023International Cheetah Day
Dec 24, 2021Smoking nights in Austria
Jan 5, 2020Digging the birds
May 17, 2022Salt ponds of Maras, Peru
Jul 1, 2024Canada Day
Feb 18, 2021A river runs through it
Apr 20, 2020In the Garden of Europe
Nov 15, 2021Manatee Awareness Month
Mar 25, 2020It s Tolkien Reading Day
Jan 15, 2019A personal collection becomes an institution
Mar 30, 2020Spread some love with Bing
Jan 8, 2025National Take the Stairs Day
Oct 16, 2021Unearthing a queen s lost tale