No, swan color does not designate gender. What you are describing is called leucism (a different coloration) of the mute swan. Centuries ago, someone wanted to create a "white swan" in Eastern Europe. They kept in-breeding a swan family to see if they could remove the coloring and basically, get an albino. What they achieved was a lighter called swan that at one time was classified as a new swan called "cygnus immutabalis" meaning, the changeless swan. However, upon closer reflection, taxonomists realized that this was not a new species, only a leucistic coloration.

Now, with this in mind, we need to discuss the naming of the mute swans. All Mute Swans are mute swans or (cygnus olor). However, swan keepers have designated the mute swans with black feet, reddish orange bills and taupe/gray cygnets at Royal Mutes. These swans appear as the usual coloration of mute swans.

The leucistic coloration, mute swans with orange beaks, taupe colored legs and white cygnets are known as Polish Mutes.

The leucistic form has shown up in many mute swan flocks due to interbreeding from various swan flocks throughout the world. This is why you are seeing the two colorations in your flock. The taupe/gray cygnets are the Royal Mutes and the white cygnet is a Polish Mute.

The swans are still normal and nothing is wrong with them. They are still Mute Swans. Now, for a little more biology. In genetics, the appearance of the gene or the trait on the chromosome is known as the genotype. The actual appearance of a trait (what you actually see, behavior, color, etc.) is known as the phenotype.

With this in mind, your swan parents may both be royal mutes (phenotype), but have the trait in their genes (genotype) which is why they produced a white cygnet. Since Mute Swans can produce cygnets once a year throughout their lives, you may or may not see this genetic variation again. Even if one or both parents have the leucistic gene, they may or may not produce Polish Mute cygnets throughout their lives. Like all genetics, this is a roll of the dice if a certain trait appears. We hope this information is of benefit. The Regal Swan