The juvenile appears to be approximately 6-7 months of age. It should be able to fair on its own as long as there are no predators in the area. Being this old, the parents were going to send it on its way in the next few months anyway. So, it should have some street smarts about predators. But, if there are predators, i.e., coyote, bobcat, etc., the young swan may still fall prey. If the lake freezes over or the young swan stays on the banks, it could find itself easy prey because predators will stalk birds or other animals stuck or incapacitated due to the cold weather or frozen bodies of water.

Our suggestion would be to get extremely friendly with the bird in the next two weeks. Feed him, coax him on land by feeding him slowly but gradually up the bank until he gets closer to your house or someone else's so that a capture can be undertaken. We would suggest that he be kept at a wildlife/ waterfowl rehabilitation center for the winter and then released back onto your pond in the spring. More than likely, the parents and possibly his siblings will return to that area for nesting. Now, he could be the odd man out and there be territorialism in the pond at that time, but at least he would be around a flock of swans.

Do you know if it is a male or female? If it is a female (the wildlife rehabilitation staff's veterinarian will be able to find out)there will be a good possibility that a young male swan will stay with her if they bond this next spring.

How was she injured? Is the wing injury permanent? If it is not permanent, the swan should be able to fly next year. If it is a permanent injury, then you might need to find the swan a good home so that she does not go back into the wild and suffer a more significant injury or death from not being able to fly and escape danger. So, try to find a rehabilitation center for it this winter and see how things progress in the next few months. If the rehab center cannot house it for long or the swan is deemed not able to return to the wild and you cannot find a home, please contact us and let us know and we'll try to find it a home. The Regal Swan