Ask the Swan Specialist

Re: Father swan keeps coming into road and standing there
By:The Regal Swan
Date: 29 August 2016

Hi Kathy:

Sometimes, the male swan will extend his range to exercise after the cygnets are grown or nearly grown. However, standing in the road is not a good idea and someone needs to stop him from this activity by keeping him from coming out of the water or redirecting his movements into another safer area.

On another note, this might not be the dad, but rather the first born son. If this is the case, dad is chasing him from the area so that there is no conflict between the son and the dad during mating season. We have also seen this behavior. In any case, as stated, this is completely unsafe and the swan needs to be dissuaded from such activity as standing in a road. Additionally, if the swan does not get killed by a vehicle, it could be killed by a predator walking a great distance from the pond.

You also need people from providing him food near the road to get him to go back to the pond as he is being conditioned to know that if he stands there, he gets food. They need to get to the pond and throw him food before he leaves so he knows that is where he is going to be fed.

If someone can throw a blanket or towel over him and safely (so he nor the person capturing gets injured), pick him up and carry him back to the pond, it will only take once or twice before he gets the picture that this is unacceptable behavior. Swans do not like to be picked-up so, this would quickly remedy the situation. The Regal Swan

Messages In This Thread

Father swan keeps coming into road and standing there -- Kathy -- 29 August 2016
Re: Father swan keeps coming into road and standing there -- The Regal Swan -- 29 August 2016
Re: Father swan keeps coming into road and standing there -- Kathy -- 30 August 2016
Re: Father swan keeps coming into road and standing there -- The Regal Swan -- 30 August 2016