DO NOT get any female under the age of at least 1 1/2 or 2 years of age. The male will hurt her seriously trying to mate and may even accidently kill the young bird. Try to get the same age or slightly older for a mating pair. Also, you need to check with your state wildlife commission to see if you need a permit to possess the swans. Many states have changed their laws regarding swan ownership and even if you are grandfathered in with the two males, you may need a permit for any young. If you get a female for both males, what will you do with the cygnets? You will need to find homes for them as the parents will run them from the pond after 8 months of age to start a new family.

Mute Swans can produce 1-13 cygnets a year. You will need a plan to place the cygnets once they are 8 months of age. Many state laws required that all new captive swans must be pininoned (rendered permanently unable to fly). You will need to capture each cygnet at 1-3 weeks of age, transport to a veterinarian within a very reasonable time (less than 3 hours or the parents may reject them) and then provide veterinary medical care.

How large is each park's pond? Are there any predators, steep banks, etc., which would prevent the young birds from getting up and down banks and sunning themselves? Is the habitat free from fishing, boating and does it have enough vegetation to support aquatic feeding? Is there a supplemental feeding program in place? Is there fencing or other barriers to prevent the swans from walking into areas that could be harmful, i.e., parking lots, roads, etc. Are there barriers to prevent predators such as raccoons, domestic dogs, cats, etc., from getting near the swans?

All of these questions must be answered to determine if the park can realistically support other swans, especially cygnets. Good luck. The Regal Swan