Is it a wild swan? If so, then it may be able to fly away on its own. If it is a swan that has been dependent upon people, i.e., they have fed it throughout the year, and it has basically, become a pet that will come to people upon seeing them or food, then it may have trouble fending on its own.

If the bird does not leave and the pond is freezing, the swan is in some serious trouble. First, it could starve from lack of food at the bottom of the pond. Secondly, if it gets out onto the pond and should fall through, it could get stuck, not be able to get back onto the ice and drown. Predators also seek easy prey on ice and would be able to walk onto the ice and get to the swan. Lastly, if the bird cannot get enough to eat, is constantly subjected to being wet and cold (cannot get warm and dry) it may succumb to pneumonia or other immune suppressed illnesses.

If this bird is more pet than wild, then you must intervene. Ensure that it has supplemental food (1/2 mixture of poultry layer pellets and cracked corn) as well as lettuce to help with lack of aquatic vegetation.

Try to provide it an indoor pen (barn, garage) or see if a wildlife rehabilitation center might be able to house it until springtime.

The swan may be a young (juvenile) bird that missed the opportunity to migrate and is now stuck. Our recommendation would be to try and capture it and get it indoors for the winter. The Regal Swan
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