The swans may have left the area if their young were killed by predators. If there is an unsafe environment, the swans will leave. However, it may also be due to territorialism. Once eggs are laid and young produced, the parents get extremely hostile toward anything or anyone in their nesting habitat and chase the intruders (i.e., other swans) from the area.

There are two possible reasons for the difference in color. One swans may be older than the other swan and the younger swan has not turned white as of yet, but will by approximately 8-10 months of age.

The other possibility is that one cygnet is a Polish Mute (the leucistic color variation in which cygnets are white in color and will have buff colored legs and less orange/red beaks). The Royal Mutes (true coloring) are known for their taupe colored cygnets, black feet and reddish orange beaks. The Regal Swan