I began working at a place not long ago that has a pair of mute swans on a pond located on the property. I asked if they had been named and was told if I could figure out which was the male and which was the female, I could name them. Now, I know that the male is bigger than the female, has a larger neck, and the bulb on its beak is bigger. However, from a distance you really can’t tell.

When I was coming in this morning, I noticed that one of the swans seemed to be deliberately swimming in front of the other. It appeared to be a bit bigger (not by much). So, I was wondering if male swans usually swim in front of the female if they are swimming together.

Is there any other way to tell them apart from a distance given that the male in this pair is really not that much bigger than the female?