A swan is a large, graceful water bird.
Two types of swan (genus Cygnus) pass through the Middle East when they migrate. These are the mute swan (Cygnus olor) and the whooper swan (Cygnus musicus).
Swans are sometimes called the best musicians among birds. The ancient Greeks considered them sacred to the god Apollo. Their voices sound soft and musical, like flutes or harps.
The King James Version lists the swan in Leviticus 11:18 and Deuteronomy 14:16. These verses probably do not refer to the swan, because the swan eats only plants. There would be little reason to call it an unclean animal. These verses more likely refer to the water hen or the barn owl.