The difficulty in providing the feeder is training the swan to use the feeder. It one thing to provide a platform of food and another to provide a feeder which keeps out other waterfowl, wildlife and pests such as ants and rats. Once you use a feeding system that protects the food from pests and other waterfowl, a wild swan may not be able to figure out how to access the food. Unlike captive swans, which will get close enough in the water for you to show them how to access the food, wild birds won't get that close and may even avoid the feeder and leave the pond for fear of something unfamiliar to its habitat. If you build a feeder, it needs to be placed at least 3 feet from the bank in the water so ants and rats do not access the food. Additionally, by having the feeder placed in the water at least 3 feet from the bank, the swan will be able to see any predators that may be lurking in the area. Swans can be attacked by fox, bobcat, dogs, cats, people and other animals while feeding. Therefore, you need to have a safe water zone for the feeder. Finally, will you be able to access the feeder at least 2-3 times a week for cleaning? Wet foot can become moldy which can sicken and even kill the birds. So, if you can address all of these issues, then a feeder might be the answer. The Regal Swan
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