Hi Marie
We consult in various areas of Sarasota and have never seen a Trumpeter in the area. What part of the county is the lake located? Are you sure it is a Trumpeter Swan? The Trumpeter Swans have black bills, Tundra Swans have a black bill with a yellow coloration between the bill and the eye. Mute Swans, which are more prevalent throughout the state on private lakes and ponds have an orange bill. In any case, as long as there is no way that any predators can access the swans, i.e., bobcat, panther, bear, raccoon, fox, alligator, etc., or domestic predators such as dogs, cats and humans, then the swan should do just fine on its own. There must also be ample food, shelter and areas for preening.

We at first thought it could have been a swan that was blown off the migratory path, which has happened on occasions in Florida, however, since you stated that it has been there for some time, rules out this possibility as the swan would probably have departed by now. Someone must be feeding the swan and taking care of it for the bird to stay in the area on its own. Finally, if the swan has someone taking care of it, i.e., supplementally feeding it and it likes the area, there is probably little chance that it will go somewhere else to find a mate. Additionally, if the bird was brought to the area as someone’s swan, it may be pinioned which means that it cannot fly. The Regal Swan