Yes, a swan's wing can cause bruises and even fractures. The problem is that you have lost control of the pond as the BIGGER SWAN and you now must retake back your pond.

There are several ways to do this. Have a net, umbrella or towel handy.

Let Mr. I Own Your Pond come to you. As soon as he gets within arms length, place the net on him and capture him. He is not going to like this one bit because you have just let him know that chasing and accosting people is not acceptable behavior. You may have to capture him a couple of times, but usually, once is enough to let him know that you are the boss.

If you do not want to capture him a second time, take a large white towel or white umbrella (no spike on the outside of the umbrella) and wave the white objects so that you look like a bigger white swan. These techniques usually will keep him at bay and not want to engage you or anyone else, especially if he thinks that he can get caught.

As far as the grandkids, no child should ever be allowed to approach any wildlife, especially a swan or goose which can be much larger than a child. The child should never be allowed to hand feed the birds as they can attack the child (it is seen as a predator in their territory and small enough to mount an attack to chase the encroacher from the area). Also, a child's face is eye level with a swan's beak and the swan can accidently poke the child in the face/eye while trying to retrieve hand food.

Basically, the behavior you are describing about your swan is normal at this time of the year. His hormone levels are increasing because of the mating/nesting season. Another idea would be to place him in a pen (enclosed top to bottom so that no predator can dig under or climb into the pen, feeder inside, half on water and half on the bank). The bird can be contained until the hormone levels subside. A couple of weeks in the pen, he is not going to want anything to do with you or anyone else that can possibly capture him and place him in the pen. If you do not have a pen, and have a small shed, barn or garage enclosed from predators, you can place him indoors on sheets with a feeder and pan of water. You can keep him indoors for a couple of days and this will also make him not want to encounter people for some time. We hope this information is of benefit. The Regal Swan