Why are male swans not fancy?

[Puddlejuice]

Lock down pondering... Most male birds are fancy, just look at peacocks, Robins, lots of ducks etc. But male swans are just the same as females but bigger. Is it because they mate for life so don't need the swagger maybe?

Google doesn't have the answer, and I have an 8 year old ds who is mithering me to know after we saw some on our walk today.

Interesting question! The same is true of geese, I think, though not ducks.

Big dick energy? 😀

Interestingly male and female robins are actually virtually indistinguishable from their plumage. It’s a common misconception that only males have a red breast.

Perhaps they have kind personalities and a good sense of humour. So they can attract a female anyway.

Because women are superior and the swans know it!

Just found this on Wikipedia which seems to suggest it's based on whether the male plays much part in rearing young. Penguins are another species that have identical plumage (and male penguins are involved in rearing and even incubating in the case of emperors).

"Sexual dimorphism in birds can be manifested in size or plumage differences between the sexes. Sexual size dimorphism varies among taxa with males typically being larger, though this is not always the case, e.g. birds of prey, hummingbirds, and some species of flightless birds.[59][60] Plumage dimorphism, in the form of ornamentation or coloration, also varies, though males are typically the more ornamented or brightly colored sex.[61] Such differences have been attributed to the unequal reproductive contributions of the sexes.[62] This difference produces a stronger female choice since they have more risk in producing offspring. In some species, the male's contribution to reproduction ends at copulation, while in other species the male becomes the main caregiver. Plumage polymorphisms have evolved to reflect these differences and other measures of reproductive fitness, such as body condition[63] or survival.[64] The male phenotype sends signals to females who then choose the 'fittest' available male."

Link to full article - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_dimorphism#Birds

Because cob swans sit on the eggs and take their share of the incubation.

Also swans are on the edge of aerodynamic limits and cannot afford any frills and un-necessary non-flight feathers or they would not be able to get off the ground.

Swans mate for life so I guess they don’t need to go out flirting every season.
Same with penguins.

@Puddlejuice Your son's enquiring mind has taught us something!

Thanks for all the answers!
So if a Swan were a man he'd be a strong, dependable, half the childcare marry for life type.
Peacocks are the men who leave you pregnant and alone, the type your father warned you about?

There's a great self-help book in here somewhere. "How to marry a swan and avoid the peacocks". 😁

That's a great title! @DianaT1969

They are classic and understated. Like a Saville Row suit. No need for fancy.