Once the eggs are laid and the cygnets hatch, the female is the primary bird that sits on top of the eggs and cygnets. Throughout the incubation process, the female swan will take a break and go onto the pond/lake to feed, bathe and get some rest. During these breaks, the male will sit by or on top of the nest. Actual incubation of the eggs depends on individual swans and species.

As hatching becomes imminent, the breaks by the female become shorter and less frequent. The Regal Swan