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

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Sep 15, 2020For Hispanic Heritage Month: Out of Many, One
Jan 25, 2019Fighting evil with costumes
Mar 7, 2018Chapel of St. Michel on Lake Serre-Ponçon, Hautes-Alpes, France
Mar 18, 2025Rock formations at Sedona, Arizona
Aug 24, 2023Shark Fin Cove, California
Aug 23, 2024Prasat Phanom Rung temple ruins, Thailand
Jun 27, 2020Looking for peace on the precipice
Dec 16, 2023Guild houses of Grand-Place, Brussels, Belgium
Oct 25, 2022 Park of the Monsters, Bomarzo, Italy
Nov 29, 2023Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting
Oct 15, 2021Autumn in the Prosecco Hills
Mar 13, 2023National Napping Day
Mar 20, 2018Celebrating the first day of spring
Sep 18, 2024Gujō Hachiman Castle, Gifu prefecture, Japan
Nov 5, 2022Tigh Mor Trossachs on Loch Achray, Scotland
Dec 10, 2021Arctic fox in Norway
Feb 28, 2018Isla del Pescado on the Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia
Jul 24, 2025Happy Cousins Day!
Sep 30, 2018Aw shucks, it’s oyster season in Galway
Sep 19, 2021Arrr! Can you talk like a pirate?
Mar 8, 2024International Womens Day
Jul 17, 2020Let s face it: It s World Emoji Day
Aug 9, 2019In the Supertree Grove
Oct 11, 20181.1 billion opportunities for a better world
Aug 16, 2025World Honey Bee Day
Jul 22, 2019Let’s go mothing
Apr 6, 2021On the rebirth of the Olympic Games
Oct 5, 2018Is that a smile?
Aug 26, 2021What are these creatures?
Mar 26, 2025Manatee Appreciation Day