the.com/swan
elegance up top, knees that hide a temper and wings that break bones
means A large, long-necked waterbird, usually white, famous for its graceful glide and notoriously aggressive defense of its territory.
from From Old English 'swan,' shared across the Germanic languages (Dutch 'zwaan,' German 'Schwan'). The deeper root is often linked to a Proto-Indo-European base meaning 'to sound' or 'to sing' — a cousin, perhaps, of Latin 'sonus' — which would tie the bird's name to the old legend of the dying swan's song. The verb sense, 'to swan about,' came much later and quite separately, an English flourish riffing on the bird's languid, self-satisfied movement.
- wing power
- A single blow can shatter a human arm
- loyal
- Many pairs stay together for life
- hidden anatomy
- Those knees you see are actually their ankles
- long necks
- More neck vertebrae than a giraffe
- royal claim
- The Queen owns Britain's unmarked mute swans
mute swan — most common swan species in europe and north america, weighs up to 15 kg
black swan — native to australia, symbolizes rarity and unpredictability since discovered by europeans in 1697
whooper swan — migratory species across northern eurasia, produces distinctive loud whooping calls