Ask the Swan Specialist

Aggressive mute swan
By:Sheryl
Date: 9 February 2016

Hi-
I live on a 3 acre property with a pond. I have domestic ducks and geese. About 10 years ago a baby swan arrived out of nowhere (probably from the local golf course). At the time I had older swans who all had since passed of old age. The last 2 years or so, this swan has become extremely aggressive towards anyone. Our driveway has a split rail fence that runs along the length and on the other side of fence is the property and pond. Anytime someone including us (the homeowners) pulls in or out of driveway the swan flies up to fence from wherever he/she is to protect the land that he/she has completely deemed his/hers. Puffs out wings, hisses a bit and once in awhile snorts. He/she has attacked the dog, my mother, house sitter, my husband, 10 year old and now even me (the hand that feeds all of them). He/she will troll friends and family cars that are parked in the driveway and peck at their bumpers. The winter has been quite mild here in Pennsylvania this year and he/she has begun building a nest in my garden by pulling old vines that were not pruned during the fall. If someone is outside and he/she hears you, he/she will follow your voice, find you to attack. He/she will go under the bottom rail of the fence so she actually has full range of the whole property. I have even put small fencing along the bottom but this creates a maintenance problem for us. We still need to go onto the other side of the fence for maintenance, but just to enjoy our property and are unable to due to the aggressiveness and attacking. My geese made a nest last year he/she attacked them repeatedly until they abandoned the nest and then he/she never sat on the nest. He/she has never laid eggs, so I am thinking the swan is a male??? I am at my wits end on what to do. Do I get another swan? Do I catch the swan and try and rehome? We can no longer live like we are in his/her prison. Please help!!

Messages In This Thread

Aggressive mute swan -- Sheryl -- 9 February 2016
Re: Aggressive mute swan -- The Regal Swan -- 9 February 2016