Feeding the swan
By carpenter5
@carpenter5 (6782)
United States
May 13, 2009 12:28am CST
We live on the back edge of a lake and recently a beautiful swan has taken up residency on the lake. The kids in the neighborhood love to get out and throw bread, crackers and other treats to the geese and the swan comes right up to the fence and gets treats too.
I took some great pics (I'll post one with this) and also some video of the swan. But then someone made a comment after I posted them to facebook about how mean swans can be. That they aren't afraid of anyone or anything and they can be aggressive. I was also told that they could break a grown man's leg with their wing because of how strong they are.
So when the grandkids came over on Mother's Day, I was a little reluctant to let them go out with the other kids and feed the geese because the swan was out. I'd already had my daughter tell me that it had hissed at her when she was walking the dog a couple of nights earlier.
I finally relented but told the girls to watch them very closely and made Lauren take the broom out with her to shoo him off he did turn on them.
He/She (we aren't sure what it is) seemed very friendly with the kids. Came right up to the fence and was eating the bread pieces all the little ones were throwing.
Do any of you know about swans? Should I be worried?
4 people like this
6 responses
@ElicBxn (64172)
• United States
13 May 09
They are very territorial, and only mate once. Since this one is single, either it is very young, or has lost its mate. Since they tend to return to the same territory, this one is probably a youngster setting up a territory.
I would guess that where the kids are feeding it, is far enough away from its nest, and is used to seeing the kids there that they are safe. Probably what happened to your daughter is that she got too close to the nesting site with the dog.
3 people like this
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
18 May 09
I don't know enough about swans to really know for sure. Lauren was along the same fenceline that the kids stand and throw food. I'm guessing part of it had to do with the dog perhaps making it feel threatened, even though Baby just wanted to play.
3 people like this
@GardenGerty (169534)
• United States
23 May 09
From what I read, the swan could be a trumpeter swan, because of its orange beak and black bump on the beak. Of course the websites I looked at disagreed on certain points, so I am not sure.
3 people like this
@GardenGerty (169534)
• United States
15 May 09
We have had swans at our community lake for several years. They can be aggressive, early in the season or if someone threatens their nest. They mate for life, I understand, so I find it strange this one is single. Maybe that is why he was aggressive. Our swans get put away for the winter, then every spring until they get used to people again, they are a lttle antisocial. What type of swan is it?
3 people like this
@danishcanadian (28954)
• Canada
9 Sep 09
Don't get too close to them, but don't shun them alltogether, either. Don't let the kids get as close to them as they'd get to a cage full of baby bunnies, and try to keep something between y'all (did you say there was a fense? That's good!) Don't leave bread and stuff out in a "residental area" that is to say, don't let them walk right up to your back door and play where the little ones might play unsupervised. Respect them the way you'd respect a horse, or other large animal. Be gentle,, and if they show aggressive behaviours, don't "invite them" into your space.
1 person likes this
@rebelann (117262)
• El Paso, Texas
7 Aug 21
That makes total sense. To live in harmony with nature means to respect the animals and not try to infringe on their areas.
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
4 Jul 09
I didn't know they could be aggressive either. This one doesn't appear to be all that agressive, though he did hiss at my youngest daughter when she was walking the dog and got close to the fence to take a photograph with her cell phone.
But without the dog, he came right up and ate bread out of her hand.
1 person likes this
@emilie2300 (1882)
• United States
18 Jun 09
What a beautiful swan. I am not sure if you should be worried or not. Do you live in the city or country?
I think if you live in the country it would be ok. Swans have to live in water.
2 people like this
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
20 Jun 09
We're probably a little of both. We live just off the edge of the country club. There are towns about a mile to the north and the south of us, but we aren't really what you would describe as country either... since we are right off the interstate.
1 person likes this
@emilie2300 (1882)
• United States
22 Jun 09
hmmm!! I don't think it would be considered country either. I think if you are concerned about the swan. Maybe see if a animal shelter can give you some advice. or a local zoo might want to take it in.
I wouldn't call animal control I don't now what they would do to the beautiful swan.
Tell your Husband I said Happy Father's Day. I hope he had a nice Day God BLESS yOU AND YOUR FAMILY
2 people like this
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
4 Jul 09
Well, it doesn't matter right now, until the end of summer anyway. As the temperatures have risen above 100 degrees every day, all of our water fowl including our crane have disappeared. I guess they all went north. Those that live here longer than we have, say they will be back the end of August or the first of September. All the geese, ducks and both swans are gone!
1 person likes this
@eponiine (141)
• United States
13 May 09
Oh how pretty! There used to be a swan in the next town that was always around the lake on the main road. I never directly interacted with it, but I never thought swans were likely to be much harm. I never heard about any swan attacks or anything. The way I understand it coexisted peacefully for a long time, until sadly it was hit by a car awhile ago. But I can't say for sure that it would be perfectly okay, especially since others seem to believe they're agressive so I would still recommend being cautious and alert if they're around kids. My feeling is that a broom for defense would be enough in case they decided to turn agressive.
3 people like this
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
13 May 09
That is so sad that it got hit by the car. A friend was telling me that there was a swan that lived behind her for several years. He was not afraid of people at all and even attacked a utility truck one day. She said the telephone man went up a pole when it turned on him. That kind of scared me!
2 people like this
