Ask the Swan Specialist

In Response To: Re: Swans and death (Tom)

Hi,

I saw a Mute Swan die today in a big reservoir here in East Providence, RI, at Turner Reservoir. He acted as if it was being choked by something underwater. He was not being attacked by any raptor from above. Yet he acted as if he was being choked under water as he couldn't lift his neck from the water and could only flail away with his wings, up and down, until he lost all strength and died, within a minute or two. Do you have any idea if he was killed by a predator from underwater? If so, what animal is capable of that?

I ask you this because I'm curious and you won't answer, 'good, another one bites the dust'.

But before you answer, let me tell you what happened. It's a big reservoir (though not huge) but what made me notice this was the honking stirred up by all the other swans. They all started moving toward the distressed swan, from near and far, not in any hurry or flying but they came, all of them, in small groups and honking, as if gliding on an invisible undercurrent. As the 1st swans arrived about 30 yards from the scene, the swan had died, unable to flap his wings any longer, his neck still underwater. As the other swans arrived, they all just stood there milling around as if dumbfounded by the tragedy.
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