There are a couple of considerations before a nesting platform is used. First, are the birds protected in your area? If so, intervening in their natural behavior may be a problem. Therefore, you may need to consult with your local wildlife authorities.

Second, are there any local zoning or home owner association rules that you may need to refer before you build or place something in your area?

Third, are there any natural predators in your area that could access the swans on a platform? If so, can you place the platform in the middle of the water body so that the water would act as a good sized moat or barrier so that the predators cannot jump or swim to the nesting site?

Finally, the fourth consideration is whether the swans will actually use a man-made nesting platform. Some swans will use nesting platforms and others will not. The most important consideration for any nesting platform is that there must be a zero entrance, meaning no steep ramp. The eventual cygnets must be able to swim in and out of the nesting material which should be made of reeds or straw. The reeds must be attached to the platform so that the nesting material cannot blow away.

This also goes for the nesting platform itself. The platform must be anchored so that the platform cannot be upended if a strong wind should come along. A sample of a man-made nesting platform is found at (www.canadiangoosecontrol.com) by Knox Swans in Illinois. You might look at this sample to see if you can comfortably, safely and adequately prepare a man-made nesting platform for the swans. The Regal Swan