Black Swans of the Marine Lake

A rare pair of Black Swans have been seen on the Marine Lake in Southport.

The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust previously recorded a maximum of nine breeding pairs in the UK in 2001, with an estimate of 43 feral birds in 2003–2004.

The first specimen was brought to the UK in 1791. They are regularly seen in wildlife parks in the UK, but rarely spotted in the wild.

Black Swans are a native Australian species, notably in Western Australia where they are the state bird.

OTS News has reported sightings of this species in the area before:

Incredibly rare swan sighted in Southport