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King Charles’ Annual Swan Census Begins on the River Thames
GREATER LONDON, ENGLAND, JUL 14 – The census monitors mute swan health amid recent population declines linked to avian flu, with only 86 young swans recorded last year, a 45% drop from the previous year.
- King Charles III's annual five-day Swan Upping census began on July 14, 2025, on the River Thames in London to count and assess the health of mute swans.
- The custom originated in the 1100s, initially linked to royal ownership and the use of swans as a food source, with current ownership shared between the crown and the livery companies.
- Teams of Swan Uppers in scarlet uniforms row along the Thames from Sunbury Lock to Abingdon Bridge, capturing young and adult swans to weigh, measure, ring, and check their health.
- David Barber, the King's Swan Marker for more than three decades, reported that only 16 young swans were counted on the first day of the census, suggesting this may reflect a wider trend across the nation.
- Swan numbers have declined about 45% over two years, mainly due to avian flu outbreaks, but recent reports indicate fewer cases in the Thames area; the census informs ongoing protection efforts.
32 Articles
32 Articles
It has been done for centuries, involving also a King's Marker and members of ancient guilds
Oxford Mail
thisisoxfordshire.co.ukSwan upping tradition heading for Abingdon
The annual tradition of counting swans on the River Thames has got under way and is expected to reach Abingdon on Friday.
British custom on the Thames River • Royal Swan Marker: Bird flu has caused many problems
The Virginian Pilot
Daily PressLet the swan counting begin: King Charles’ annual census underway on the River Thames
LONDON — Scarlet uniforms flashed against the riverbank. Wooden skiffs glided in formation. A young swan, gently lifted from the water, was measured, inspected and released. The annual five-day census of swans belonging to King Charles III — known as Swan Upping — began Monday on the River Thames to assess their health. One of the British monarch’s less-known titles is Seigneur of the Swans — Lord of the Swans — and according to ancient lore, he…
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