Animals - Australian Connection

Black Swan - Stella
Cygnus atratus
Range:	Native range is throughout Australia. It has been introduced to Europe, New Zealand and North America.
Habitat:	Inland lakes, coastal waters, and quiet bays of large river systems.
Diet:	Mainly leaves and stems of aquatic plants. At the zoo they eat duck pellets, fruits and vegetables.
Fun Facts:	The black swan is very aggressive when defending its territory and nest from intruders, including other swans. The black swan has no pre-flight movements and needs 40-50 yards take off distance. The male black swan brings nest materials to the female, and sometimes the eggs are laid before the nest has even been started.