Ask the Swan Specialist

Cold Weather/Snow Storms
By:Kristen
Date: 17 February 2014

I drive by a pond every day that has 2 Swans & they have lived there for years. ( I've haven't noticed them there in the winter, before this winter) (I was told a couple of years ago that someone takes them out of the pond in the winter & brings them to an indoor shelter, like a zoo, & then the swans are returned in the spring to the same pond.) (I can't confirm whether that story is true or not.) I live in Massachusetts & the swans are in Peabody, MA & the winter has been very brutal this year with big snow storms & temps during the day are sometimes single digits & at night can go below zero. In the summer they had 5 babies & now are no longer with them, also in the summer they are beautifully white & now I've noticed that their necks have become darkened & dirty. I was wondering if the 2 swans are ok to live in this climate or should I call a wildlife rehabilitator to help them? If I should call someone, would you have a better contact that I could call that deals with swans?

Thank You,
Kristen