The all-aboard BIRD

The male mute swan (Cygnus olor) might supply the materials, but it’s the female who actually builds the nest. After lining it with branches and bulrushes, she then pulls feathers from her underside to create a bare ‘brood patch’, allowing her clutch to sit close to her skin for warmth. Once her cygnets have hatched, the new mum will stay with them for four or five months, often allowing them to hitch a ride on her back when they venture out on the water. They’re fiercely protective parents, so woe betide walkers or wildlife that pose a threat: swans have been known to charge at adversaries with a fearsome flap of their wings!