We know that some folks have had success with these islands not necessarily from the Walmart brand.

Typically, the various facilities that we are working with have had little to no success with swans using floating nesting platforms. In one case, a facility which we consult tried to use a large floating island for the swans. The island had grass on top. Instead of nesting, the swans throughout the facility managed to unplug the base which holds the grass while eating and stripping the grass. Park personnel were finding parts of the island all over the lake.

Also, swans like any other animal in a captive setting may need to be trained on how to use a floating platform for a nesting site if this is not something they are accustomed. This will mean someone going out to the island on a daily basis, placing food near or on the island (be careful of predators such as soft-shelled turtles, seagulls, egrets etc.) and luring the birds onto the nesting area. Even then, the birds may just use it for a food or resting resource not nesting.

We are currently researching the issue of nesting platforms for swans in captive settings and are trying various configurations and materials. We will let everyone know the results of our study as soon as possible. The Regal Swan