Hi,
I'm hoping that you won't mind answering a few unrelated questions. I'm new to swans and trying to understand as much as possible about my new buddies!
1 If a mute swan's legs and feet are more pinkish/grey than black, does that have something to do with age or gender?
2 Is it common for swans to swap territory in a cove of a lake? It seems as though a particular pair will stay in my cove for a week or more, and then the cove will be taken over by different lone one or pair.
3 In swan hierarchy, do trumpet swans "trump" mutes, or is the hierarchy based more on dominance of a particular swan in either species?
4 Is is possible for a swan to know his name (he comes when I call him), or is he repsonding to a voice/tone?
5 One lone swan, Carl, practically lives in my yard/at my dock. As soon as he sees me coming out of the house, he will walk out of the water up into my yard to meet me. Once he walked out of the lake and sat RIGHT next to me for about 20 minutes. Do I need to worry about his being aggressive when he gets that close? I always wait for him to do the approaching.
Thank you so much for your time...and service!!