Yes, this is swan poop. Texas does have a lot of predators, i.e., bobcat, puma, fox, raccoons, alligators, coyote, etc. If you should see hair in the scat or berries and hair, this would be indicative of a carnivore (predator) in your area. If these predators are known to be in your area, you need to go ahead and implement a preventative protection plan for your swans.

One solution would be to have a night pen (enclosed top to bottom, 1/2 in water 1/2 on land with a feeder inside). The pen should be fenced in so that that a predator cannot climb into the pen or dig under the pen. Most people assume that swans stay in the water at night, which is prime time for predators to roam. However, swans will go onto the bank at night and some will forage for food around the banks or preen, which invites predation.

If you are going to use a night pen, you can train your swans to come in 1 hour before dusk and release them onto the pond 1 hour after daybreak. Most nocturnal predators will not be roaming once bright sunlight hits. However, you still must be vigilant against domestic predators such as humans, cats and dogs and even some roaming/hungry nocturnal predators that may want a snack during the daytime.

Ponds or lakes that are surrounded by homes seem to be less likely to invite larger predators such as coyotes, puma, bobcats, etc., but in this day and age due to habitat encroachment, we are seeing all kinds of large mammals including bears in downtown and populated areas. The major emphasis is on vigilance and checking the swan habitat for signs of predators such as scat, animal tracks, tail drags, etc. The Regal Swan