The concept of a studio flat is no longer strange to modern young people, especially newly married couples live in big cities. When the financial ability after the wedding only allows them to own or rent a house, small flat,… Their choice alway is a studio flat. So what is a flat studio and how to have a cozy place to come back after every hard working day? Let read the following article of Viknews.com to know more interesting information.

What is a studio flat?

Studio flat is a popular concept in developed countries such as America, Japan, Korea, Hongkong, Singapore, … In big cities in these countries, owning an apartment is not a simple work that requires a long process of accumulation because house prices are not cheap, applications for Tokyo and Hong Kong are the two most expensive cities in the world.

Therefore, the studio flat model was born to serve the needs of the majority of young people who have just graduated from school and worked for a few years or newly married. Each studio’s flat acreage is in the range of 30-50m2 and only layout the most necessary space. With a growing life in big cities means that housing prices are not cheap, owning a flat studio apartment becomes an affordable option for many young people.

Advantages when living in a studio flat

• Since all of them are neatly called in the maximum space of about 65m2, it seems that we can touch everything and get everything in the flat easily, in addition to saving the lighting and heating area.
• Cleaning in the studio flat is also quick and simple.
• The studio flat is an ideal choice for single people, newly married couples without children.
• The moderate area should be reasonably priced in line with the pockets of the majority, even low-income people.
• Studio flats are usually built in big cities, so it is convenient for transportation.
• Even though the acreage is small, the owner can still design the furniture in the style you wants.

Tips on interior decoration for the studio flat

Tip 1

Start by choosing the appropriate bed. Queen size bed (1.6m x 2m) or king-size (1.8m x 2m) according to your preference but the most important thing is the location of the bed in your house. The bed will be the most “private” place in a studio flat, so the best place to place the bed is far from the door and it would be great to place the bed in the corner next to a window. Great way to enjoy the dawn every day.

Tip 2

The living room area will be the most frequented used area, including homeowners and guests. Therefore, the area to place the lovely sofa set should be near the main door. You should not forget about the limitation of the area, choose the sofa bed – the kind that can be opened as a bed when guests sleep and have additional drawers contains the item below.

Tip 3

The bathroom with a toilet must strictly adhere to the principle of neatness, versatility, and ventilation. The modern and compact sanitary equipment that can be used with all the functions and make you feel comfortable. One trick is to use light-colored tiles and equipment to give you a more spacious bathroom feel.

Tip 4

The dining table must be placed near the kitchen area because of the limited area. Dining chairs if not too sophisticated, can choose folding chairs that are quite popular in the market. Even when necessary, the dining table can become a desk for modern young people who regularly use laptops and wireless digital devices for their business needs.

Tip 5

The kitchen is the most important space in the house. A modern apartment will surely be indispensable for devices such as refrigerators, microwaves, … Choose small and environmentally friendly devices to save space and minimize gas production, CO and CO2. An Induction hob will help you save and beautify the kitchen space, both convenient and safe, easy to use will be the perfect solution during the price storm.

Especially, with the characteristics of a flat studio apartment, promoting the convenience, modernity, and aesthetics, the use of induction cooker for daily cooking will increase the economic value as well as beautify the apartment. The induction hob has been tested and recognized to achieve 90% of the usage efficiency while other popular cookers such as infrared stove (58%), electric stove (47%) and gas stove (40%) (information from the US Bureau of Statistics.

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Read more: What is Pepperoni? How to make tasty pizza with Pepperoni?

One of the most popular stories about healthy food in the world in recent years is the spectacular growth of the Quorn brand, a product that can replace meat. Do you know what is Quorn? Can it really be an effective way to provide protein for the vegetarians? Let read the following article of Viknews.com to find out the true answer.

What is Quorn?

Quorn is a meat substitute product originating in the UK and sold primarily in Europe, but also available in 19 countries. Quorn is sold as both a cooking ingredient and as the meat substitute used in a range of prepackaged meals.

All Quorn foods contain mycoprotein as an ingredient, which is derived from the Fusarium venenatum fungus and is grown by fermentation. In most Quorn products, the fungus culture is dried and mixed with egg albumen, which acts as a binder, and then is adjusted in texture and pressed into various forms. A vegan formulation also exists that uses potato protein as a binder instead of egg albumen.

Quorn was launched in 1985 by Marlow Foods, a joint venture between Rank Hovis McDougall (RHM) and Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI), and is now owned by Monde Nissin Corporation.

What is Quorn made of?

Quorn is made from the soil mould Fusarium venenatum strain PTA-2684 (previously misidentified as the parasitic mould Fusarium graminearum). The fungus is grown in continually oxygenated water in large, otherwise sterile fermentation tanks. Glucose and fixed nitrogen are added as a food for the fungus, as are vitamins and minerals to improve the food value of the product.

The resulting mycoprotein is then extracted and heat-treated to remove excess levels of RNA. Previous attempts to produce such fermented protein foodstuffs were thwarted by excessive levels of DNA or RNA; without the heat treatment, purines, found in nucleic acids, are metabolised by humans to produce uric acid, which can lead to gout. However two recent studies have found dietary factors once believed to be associated with gout are in fact not, including the intake of purine-rich vegetables and total protein. The Mayo Clinic, meanwhile, advises gout sufferers to avoid some foods that are high in purines.

The product is dried and mixed with egg albumen, which acts as a binder. It is then textured, giving it some of the grained character of meat, and pressed either into a mince resembling ground beef; forms resembling chicken breasts, meatballs, and turkey roasts; or chunks resembling diced chicken breast. In these forms, Quorn has a varying colour and a mild flavour resembling the imitated meat product, and is suitable for use as a replacement for meat in many dishes, such as stews and casseroles.

The final Quorn product is high in protein and dietary fibre and is low in saturated fat. It contains less dietary iron than most meats and the manufacturers have not released much information about additives they use to make Quorn resemble meat. Quorn is considered acceptable in small amounts for babies over 9 months old but should be introduced gradually. The high fibre and low calorie content is better for adults than babies and too much fibre can cause flatulence.

The salt content should be checked before giving Quorn to babies since the salt content varies between products. The carbon footprint of Quorn Frozen Mince in the UK is claimed to be at least 80% less than that of beef. Quorn for the UK and European market is produced at Marlow’s headquarters in Stokesley, North Yorkshire and at nearby Billingham in Stockton-on-Tees.

Can Quorn be an effective meat alternative?

Cholesterol

The first proof that mycoprotein was capable to reduce total cholesterol and LDL in blood was in a tolerance study, where the only significant change in blood analysis was the decrease of cholesterol during the mycoprotein phase of the study (where the participants ingested mycoprotein). Two studies at King’s College (University of London), demonstrated that mycoprotein lowers total and LDL cholesterol in subjects with slightly raised levels under two different conditions: under clinical ingest control and in a free ingest condition.

In the first study, clinically prepared meals were provided to 17 subjects, which consumed 190 g/day of mycoprotein for 3 weeks. Total cholesterol and LDL in blood were significantly reduced, whereas HDL (High Density Lipoprotein) increased. In the second study, 21 subjects were provided with 27 g/day of mycoprotein in dry weight (approximately 130 g/day of regular moisture mycoprotein) in form of a biscuit for 8 weeks.

Blood samples were recollected at the beginning, at 4 weeks and at 8 weeks. Total cholesterol and LDL decreased during the study, but no statistically significant differences were observed in HDL cholesterol.

A pilot study, based on 21 subjects who didn’t consume mycoprotein, whom were asked to ingest it for 6 weeks.Ten of those subjects continued with their regular diets, being the control group. It was proven that cholesterol in individuals who present high contents is reduced, but the authors conclude stating that a more rigorous study with more participants is needed to know if mycoprotein ingest also intervenes in other aspects, such as of glucose in blood reduction or blood pressure.

Effects on satiety

A study demonstrated that when subjects received meals of similar nutritional values based either on chicken or mycoprotein, those who received mycoprotein felt less hungry in the evening, and when dinner time came, they ate less when compared to those who ate chicken. In another study with the same dynamic, these result were validated, and it was also demonstrated that the next ingest in the sequent day, it was also lower in quantity compared with the other group, proving that diets with a high content of mycoprotein can have a positive effect on appetite regulation.

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Read more: What is cashback? How do UK customers gain benefit from it?

In the United Kingdom, many stores have a tradition of discount, which means a reduction in the price. To achieve profit goal after each sales season they usually reduce by one third, half or even for clearing the inventory they are willing to discount 70-90%. But the most effective way to attract customers is probably cashback, which can help you buy cheap items at any time and no need to wait until the Sale season. This culture was originally from the United States but began to gradually enter the UK. Many types of cameras advertised after buying customers immediately get back 50 to 100 pounds, which is equivalent to 20-30% discount. Today, let read the following article of Viknews.com to know what is cashback and how customers in the United Kingdom gain benefit from it.

What is cashback?

Cashback is a credit form of the bank for customers who use credit cards when they make purchases and get pay back an amount of money for their credit card based on payment value. Cashback can be considered as a direct discount on products or discounting the purchase bill, etc., increasing the consumption of credit card customers. Customers not only have received promotions when paying via credit card but also have been refunded a sum of money from the system.

The refunded amount is calculated on the value of the product of all transactions pay by cash or pay by card. This percentage may be high or low depending on the type of service you use to pay. Customers can fully use the refunded money to shop for subsequent visits or withdraw cash via bank account. However, customers should not withdraw cash unless necessary urgently, as this is a form of bank that discourages use and will be subject to a high cash withdrawal fee.

Why do UK stores likely to provide cashback services?

Famous brands in UK likely to use cashback services in order to not bring down the price of goods, which will affect the consumption of other products. Some firms also consider that buyers will not remember the procedure to get money back. In one case, a US company earned an additional $ 5 million because half of the customers were not interested in getting money back. Some companies have difficult procedures in place to take advantage of the shoe-box effect, making customers forget to return the money on time.

Cashback is also a way to take advantage of the capital because the refund is usually pay after a few weeks, months or even up to years. You can go to the many online website in the UK such as quidco.com and topcashback.co.uk to buy goods and get cash-back from thousands of stores and retail networks. For example: buying an iPhone would be cashback 100 pounds, buy new types of smart phones would be cashback 50 pounds.

How do customers in the United Kingdom gain benefit from it?

Smartphone companies are the leading experts in the cash-back service in the UK. The most popular company is mobiles.co.uk, a subsidiary of the Carphone Warehouse distribution system. Its cash-back procedure is: if customer buy 24-month line subscription they will get 9-month money back, but the buyer has to remember to return the money 5 times at 5 different times as prescribed.

To explain clearly about the benefit that cashback service bring to customers, you should read the following example of the Nokia N8 smartphone: this is a mobile phone with a genuine non-unlocked (sim-free) phone at £ 380. But with £ 350-360, you can buy the device at Carphone Warehouse store with 10 pay as you go recharge tables. Although you have to choose a phone network to recharge but the device is not locked and there is no additional cost to unlock the phone when switching to another network.

If you buy a cashback machine online like Quidco, it will be refunded 50 more, which means the actual amount must be spent only about 300 pounds only. But this price is still higher if purchased via eBay, only 280-290 pounds. Even so, it is only the price of the phone, not yet charged for calling and especially Internet access. Many phone networks offer subscription services, such as signing contracts for 2 consecutive years, 20 pounds per month for a few hundred free call minutes, thousands of free messages and several hundred Mbytes of network access charge with the phone for free.

This is how UK customers gain benefit from cashback service. Share this post to your friends if you found it helpful. Follow Share category to read more interesting article.

Read more: What is AdBlue? Why do we need AdBlue?

Referring to Korea, tourists cannot ignore kimchi and kimchi’s dish. Because Kimchi is a rustic dish but has is a “national spirit of the essence” in Korean cuisine. Kimchi appears from the daily meals of the people to large and small meals. Not only that, but Kimchi is also popular in many countries around the world and was voted 1 of the 5 best dishes in the world by Health Magazine of America. So, what is Kimchi and what is its special attraction? Let find you the answer with Viknews.com and share interesting information you know with your friends!

What is kimchi?

Korea is one of the coldest countries in Asia. In the winter season, vegetables are often very scarce, so storing food for daily processing is extremely popular. Under these circumstances, people have devised ways to compost cabbage with salt, ferment it in many days to be able to be used for a long time. Until now, Kimchi has a long history of development, up to more than 3,000 years.

Kimchi is not merely a dish but it that has been upgraded into a unique culture of Korea. Taste of sour, salty, especially aromatic and spicy aroma and flavor of vegetables, sour pickled tuber has become a characteristic flavor that cannot replace by any dish in the Korean’s cuisine. In 2013, UNESCO recognized Kimchi culture (also known as Kimjang) as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

Health benefits of Kimchi

Rich nutrition

The Health Magazine of American once called kimchi is “one of the five world’s healthiest foods”, claiming that it is rich in vitamins, helps digest well, and even has can against cancer. Meanwhile, other scientists believe that preserved vegetables do not contain vitamins, and because they contain high levels of Nitric, if eaten too much can cause cancer. Health-Related kimchi comes from many factors. Kimchi is usually made from cabbage, onion, garlic, and these vegetables are healthy. Like yogurt, kimchi has beneficial live yeast bacteria. Finally, kimchi is rich in chilies, which are also thought to be beneficial for health.

Weight loss

Kimchi is a food that can help you lose weight. Because this dish is made primarily from fiber-rich vegetables. When you eat kimchi, you will become less hungry because vitamin C in kimchi support digestion and metabolism. Kimchi also contains lactobacillus – a good bacterium, helps digest food, absorb nutrients and fight off harmful bacteria. When eating kimchi, it will bring to you an appetite and a fullness feeling.

Kim chi – a superfood

Kimchi is not only a food that brings appetite but also a low-calorie, high-fiber dish. So it helps the digestive process in the body more easily and quickly. With raw materials, including radish mixed with cabbage and cucumber salt, kimchi is a dish that contains many vitamins so it also contributes to curing many common diseases in the body.

A great source of probiotics

Kimchi is a food formed by fermentation of food, it is an excellent source of probiotics, good for the body. Because it contains many vitamins and minerals such as vitamins A, B, iron, calcium and selenium, this probiotic will keep the body healthy and help fight infections. Vitamins and minerals also help circulate blood, strengthen your immune system and also help your muscles grow.

187 different kinds of Kimchi

Most foreign customers only know the “version” of Kimchi made from pickled cabbage, paprika and some other ingredients. This is the most popular type of Kimchi and is also considered to be the most popular kind of kimchi in Koreans. However, you may be surprised to know that cabbage Kimchi is only one of 187 types of Kimchi in this country.

Not only cabbage, but Korean people also use different types of vegetables, tubers, and fruits to make Kimchi such as kohlrabi, carrots, white radish, yellow radish, cucumber, etc. The use of fermented Kimchi used paprika was only really popular around the 19th century and since then, there has been more and more kimchi dish.

Besides Kimchi cabbage, some of the following types of Kimchi are also popular such as: Nabak Kimchi (made from cabbage), Beachu Kimchi (made from cabbage), Yeolmu Kimchi (made from young radish), Oi Sobagi (made from cucumber), Insam Kimchi (made from ginseng), Gat Kimchi (made from mustard leaves), Bossam Kimchi (made from many ingredients and wrapped in cabbage), Chonggok Kimchi (made from whole radish ), Geotjeori Kimchi (a type of kimchi made from lettuce and instant) …

Each of the different ingredients used to make Kimchi brings different flavors and feelings. However, to be a Kimchi dish, they all have the same characteristics: that must be done by fermented, fragrant and pungent with a distinctive bright red color. This spicy flavor is made from paprika – a material that is used a lot in Korean cuisine.

Read more: What is pewter? Why is pewter better than stainless steel?

With a bright white color like silver, pewter is a rare material to create a high level of artwork. However, the produce to create products made from pewter is not only an arduous but also a difficult process. Today, let follow this article of Viknews.com to answer the question of what is pewter and why is pewter better than stainless steel. Hope that you will know more interesting knowledge about it after reading.

What is pewter?

Pewter is a metal alloy mostly made from tin, with the remainder usually a mixture of copper, antimony, bismuth, and (sometimes) silver. Tin is an amazing metal in lots of ways and is the fourth most expensive precious metal in common use after platinum, gold, and silver. It can be worked in a lot of ways and you can get a variety of really attractive finishes. But the trouble is that it’s quite soft in its pure form and wouldn’t make a great cup. That’s where pewter comes in. Mix small amounts of copper and antimony into the tin and it gets much stronger and more durable, and becomes a very practical material for drinkware.

Pewter is a relatively soft metal which consists mainly share of Tin with a small amount of Copper which hardens the metal. Pewter used to contain Lead but since 1974 is now Lead-free, what we now call ‘modern pewter’ meaning it is safe to use with food and drink. Pewter has a low melting temperature and is a relatively soft metal. It is used to represent the 10th wedding anniversary due to its high tin content.

The history of pewter

Pewter’s color is white like silver and very bright when looking in natural light. Because of its low-temperature flexibility, pewter is now a popular material for making home-friendly products. However, the process of understanding and creating this material is an arduous and difficult process to create preeminent features today.

The first time Pewter was used was around the beginning of the Bronze Age in the Near East. The first pieces of the tin alloy were found from an Egyptian tomb from 1450 BC. Pewter was used in the ancient Egyptian world and later Roman and was widely used in Europe from the Middle Ages until various developments in ceramics and glass During the 18th and 19th centuries, however, the composition of this tin alloy was not controlled until the 12th century by towns in France. In the 15th century, pewter manufacturing companies controlled the tin alloy components in the UK and developed its properties to be as superior as they are today.

Why is pewter better than stainless steel?

You can find a large number of stainless steel product online, and their cost is a lot less than pewter. So why should we use pewter products? Well, you could use stainless steel. It’s tougher than pewter and, so long as the surface isn’t scratched, won’t corrode in beer. But Viksnew.com don’t think it looks as good but that’s subjective. However, the performance of a stainless steel tankard depends on what’s known as the ‘passive surface’ remaining intact and having access to oxygen (in the air).

If stainless steel is scratched, perhaps during cleaning, then it will rust. If any residue remains stuck to a stainless steel tankard this will prevent oxygen getting to the passive layer and will cause pitting underneath. Crevices in the stainless steel, such as at a join, may corrode due to lack of oxygen. Pewter is different. Your pewter’s resistance to corrosion is not dependant on a thin surface layer in the same way as stainless steel, and scratches and dents accrued over years of enjoyment won’t cause your pewter to rust. Plus, as stated above pewter is safe, practical, attractive, and it’s the traditional choice.

Pewter’s different uses through the years

Because its main component is tin, it’s easy to assume that pewter is cheap. You might associate it with inexpensive and mundane things like tin cans and tin foil. But pewter is actually a useful metal alloy that has been used in various ways throughout history. Going as far back as the Bronze Age, pewter has been used to craft useful objects. And even today, it can be found in all kinds of items. Here are some examples of pewter’s uses.

For religious purposes

In the 11th century in Europe, pewter was very expensive. The only ones who could afford it were a handful of wealthy people and priests. It was used for making church vessels like chalice cups, candlesticks and patena saucer for holding the host bread. Because of its high cost and use in special ceremonies, pewter items were considered status symbols.

For tableware and drinkware

By the 18th century, the price of this metal alloy fell and it was widely used by normal middle class folk as well. Pewter was used to make eating and drinking utensils like spoons, forks, plates, cups and cutlery. It was used to make liquid containers such as mugs, teapots, saucepans and bowls. Pewter was a popular choice for making tankards and was a common sight in taverns. The wealthy and the masses alike enjoyed their meals with pewter tableware. Mass production through the industrial revolution helped in making it more accessible to commoners.

Read more: What is promise ring? Interesting things that you should know.

Have you ever wondered what is promise ring? What is the meaning of a promise ring is? Which finger should you wear on the promise ring or how can we choose a promise ring? Today, let Viknews.com share the answer for these questions with you!

What is a promise ring?

The definition of a promise ring is not fixed. It is varies depending on the situation of the relationship between couples, such as married or unmarried. However, you can understand that the promise ring is a symbol of a promise, of a commitment. The magic of a promise ring is being created because it can show many different meanings. While some couples see it as a way to show the connections, others simply wear rings as an object to show mutual respect.

The promise ring, as its name suggests, is a metaphor for a promise to be made in the future. However, this promise is not specific, it will vary depending on the situation of the couple. In the widest sense of the ring of promise, it symbolizes the love of two people and is a promise for a strong relationship. It is not simply a gift when two people date, once they have put on a promise ring on their hands, they will have to take responsibility to do something they promised with each other.

The history of the promise ring

The idea of giving a promise ring to the lover has appeared several hundred years ago. Do you know the Posy rings are named after a romantic 16th-century poem in England, while Acrostic rings are interpreted by the name of a gem, such as rubies, emeralds, pearls, pomegranate, amethyst, etc. Red rubies and diamonds are the two most popular types of engagement rings in the period of Georgia and Victoria.

And in the past few decades, the promise ring has become a trend thanks to a lot of famous couples in Holly Wood, such as Jonas and Miley Cyrus. However, when Joe Jonas said that the promise ring symbolizes “a promise to yourself and to God that we will keep the innocence until marriage”, the ring of promise has been misunderstood as a chastity ring. However, the truth is that the promise ring is a symbol of the commitment of a romantic relationship, whether it’s a married couple or an unmarried couple.

When is the right time to give someone a promise ring?

It is a good thing when wearing a promise ring that is it does not mean that you will have to marry the people that give you the ring. It simply shows the feelings and seriousness of your significant other to you or your relationship. It will be perfect for gifting on Valentine’s Day, Love anniversary, Christmas day, birthday … Giving a promise ring is not a right or wrong issue because it is not like an engagement ring, which means that you and the ring-giver will marry in the future.

What Finger Do You Wear a Promise Ring On?

The promise ring can be worn on any finger on the hand, not just the ring finger, sometimes you can use it as a pendant. However, the promise ring is usually worn on the left-hand ring finger (if you are not married) or worn on the right-hand ring finger (if you are married).

A promise ring can be worn in many other ways. This includes on other fingers, worn as a pendant around the neck or as a charm on a bracelet. Some couples who are looking to demonstrate their commitment to each other look for an alternative to a ring. This might include other forms of jewelry or other items that will remind each other on a daily basis of their commitment such as exchanging special photographs or other items.

The promise ring often has a simple design, maybe it is engraved with the heart or studded with stones. As long as you find it beautiful, it would be a perfect promise ring for you. Remember, the most important thing is its meaning, not its style.

When it comes to answering the question “what finger do you wear a promise ring on” it is important to remember that there are no rules. The important part is the commitment that a couple is making to each other, not what finger the ring is worn on. Of course, in many couples, the promise ring is also the symbol of an engagement ring. If you’re willing to “level up” from a promise to a marriage proposal, that’s a very normal thing, and congratulations on finding the perfect “other half.”

Read more: What is a female swan called? Only 10% know this fact.

Swans are birds of the family Anatidae within the genus Cygnus. The swans’ close relatives include the geese and ducks. There are six or seven species of swan in the genus Cygnus; in addition there is another species known as the coscoroba swan, although this species is no longer considered one of the true swans. Male swan and female swan called with a different name. So what is a female swan called? Let read the share article below of Viknews.com to find out the question.

What is a female swan called?

The English word ‘swan’, akin to the German Schwan, Dutch zwaan and Swedish svan, is derived from Indo-European root *swen (to sound, to sing). Young swans are known as swanlings or as cygnets. An adult male is a cob, from Middle English cobbe (leader of a group); an adult female is a pen.

Female swan feathers were considered to be the best for using as quills. That is where the name for a pen (as in pen and ink) came from. A small portable folding knife was needed so that the pen feathers could be sharpened as necessary and so a small folding portable knife became known as a penknife.

A pen usually breeds in late April to the beginning of May. She lays a white egg every other day until it totals between five to nine eggs. While she incubates them for over 30 days, the cob defends the nest against possible predators. The newly born cygnets take to the water after one to two days. The cygnets’ initial foods consist mainly of invertebrates and plants. Growing rather fast, they become fully feathered when they are nine to 10 weeks old and start flying once they are around 15 weeks old.

Interesting facts about the swan

Swans live for approximately 20 to 30 years

Some variations exist between the more common swan species. The trumpeter swan, which is the largest swan in North America, lives for an average of 24 years in the wild but has been known to live for 33 years in captivity. A mute swan lives for an average of 19 to 20 years; the tundra swan has a similar life span. The black swans of Australia and New Zealand, which have been introduced to North America and Europe, can live for up to 40 years in the wild.

The swan is found on both sides of the Equator across the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. The northern swan is generally white in color with an orange beak and the southern swan tends to be a mixture of white and black in color with red, orange or black beaks. Swans live in the following habitats: flooded grassland, Lakes and ponds, Rivers and streams and wetlands.

Swans are herbivores

Swans feed primarily on aquatic vegetation, with their long necks allowing them to feed on plants growing on river beds. They also eat small creatures such as molluscs that cling to the vegetation, and small fish, frogs and worms. Swans also will graze in fields, eating grass if it is available.

Swans usually mate for life

Swans usually mate for life, though “divorce” does sometimes occur, particularly following nesting failure, and if a mate dies, the remaining swan will take up with another. Bonded pairs tend to remain together year-round; however, outside the breeding season, they are highly social and often congregate with large numbers of other swans. During the breeding season, pairs will, however, aggressively defend their territories.

Swan’s Nest

Swans build their nests on land out of twigs and leaves, and the female swan lays between 3 and 9 eggs. The baby swans hatch out of their eggs after incubation of just over a month. Swan couple will guard their baby swans furiously from predators or any animal that she believes is a threat. After swans scare off the threat, they flap their wings and call to each other in celebration – sort of like a swan high-five!

A juvenile swan normally lives as part of a flock until it is about 4 years old and deemed as being an adult. It then seeks out a mate, most commonly from the flock it’s living in, and heads off with the mate to find their own mating territory. A baby swan is called a cygnet and a group of swans is called a bevy or a wedge in flight.

Due to their large size, swans have few natural predators in the wild. The swan’s main predator is the human who hunts the swan for its meat and it’s feathers. Other predators of the swan include wolves, raccoons and foxes they prey both on the swan itself but also on it’s eggs.

Before European explorers had reached Australia, it was believed that all swans were white. Dutch mariner, Antounie Caen, was the first to be amazed at the sight of Australia’s Black swans on the Shark Bay in 1636. Noted for their graceful movements in the water, they have been the subject of many poems, fairy tales, legends, and musical compositions.

Read more: What is PAYE? 3 tax rules UK students have to know.