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THE CORRECT ANSWER: The cygnet

Although the term "cygnon" is sometimes encountered in a colloquial register, "cygnet" is the correct technical name from ornithological vocabulary. At birth, the cygnet sports grayish or brownish down and a black beak, far from the immaculate whiteness of its parents.This juvenile plumage is particularly dense to ensure immediate buoyancy and effective thermal protection. Cygnets are often seen climbing on the backs of their parents, a unique protective strategy against aquatic predators like northern pike.They remain dependent on the family group for about six months, learning to filter water to feed on plants and small invertebrates. It is only after the first year, during a progressive molt, that the cygnet loses its dull colors to take on the famous coat of white feathers symbolizing the elegance of this majestic species.