What to feed my swans (1 Viewer)

Ive got a male and female swan in the pond behind my house. I walked down to the water with some whole wheat bread (no hydrogenated oil) and fed them a few slices. The male hissed at me a lot but that didnt stop him from eating the food.

Anyways there really arnt many plants or anything for them to eat right now. I was wondering what would be the most appropriate thing to feed them. I dont own any birds or have experience with birds. I dont even know if the bread is bad for them. I hope it wasnt


Thanks

Hi Emmet,

Welcome to BirdForum!

Whole wheat bread is fine for swans. White bread is less good.

Otherwise, make sure there is plenty of natural green vegetation (in or out of water) for them to graze on, that's the most important of all

Michael

Hello Emmet and a very warm welcome to you from the entire staff here at Bird Forum.

I see our resident expert has helped you out here. I am wondering if there might be a nest near by as well. Keep us posted if you don't mind.

Swans on the East Coast - can anyone out that direction set me straight on the status of what is really going on out there? When I was at Cape May a few years back they seemed everywhere, and one spot we birded the swans had actually blocked the path and were less than enthusiastic about allowing anyone to pass. It was in a bird preserve, I don't recall the proper name of it. I just kind skirted them, they hissed plenty but did not actually come after me, but my son who was 12 or 13 at the time was pretty terrified and it took me a fair amount of convincing to get him to come past them. (the only other way back to the vehicle was a VERY long backtrack). Now I read that some state wildlife departments say they are ruining the Chesapeake Bay, then I hear about organizations like SOS (save our swans) who say that such is not the case. I am, in general, sympathetic to genuine conservation causes, but am adamently opposed to PETA, Fund for Animals, etc. I believe that God put birds and animals on this earth for us to enjoy, and that we are charged with wise husbandry of this resource as we are any other. However I also believe that if He hadn't intended for us to eat them, He wouldn't have made them out of meat! Any insight into this situation from someone in the know would be appreciated.
Paul
SFSD

Hi Paul,

Not being a religious sort, I'll stay awy from those arguments, but I would agree with the points made by the State Wildlife Dept; they are professional biologists who at least should know what they are talking about. The Mute Swan is an introduced species in North America (from over here!), and is increasing, and causing damage to native species, just as much as House Sparrows or Starlings. So I would agree with those who say they should be controlled to protect the native species they are damaging.

On getting past them on a path: they establish dominance by who hisses loudest. If you hiss at them louder than they can hiss at you, they'll back off. I've found it always works.

Michael

When I was a kid, there was a swan's nest right outside of the back gate of my uncle's house in Dublin. I can still remember how scary it was for me to have to go past the huge, hissing birds especailly as people always seemed to be telling stories about how a swan can break a man's arm with a blow from it's wing.
I haven't heard anything about Mute Swans creating problems here in the north. I know that there is a release program for Trumpter Swans in Ontario.
I don't know how successful it is. There is one lake that I visit most years that has had a single pair of birds there for the last three years but I haven't seen any sign of cygnets.

Thanks for the replies! I guess I could try to feed them some romaine lettuce or something too? I see there are a lot of opinions on whether or not to feed the birds around here. The way I see it. There doesnt seem to be any vegetation for them to eat yet here in the United States - Massachusetts. It been a long cold winter and spring so I will prbably give them some handouts now and then.

I looked up the swans. They are a male and female mute swan. Absolutely beautiful. The male is very mean to the canadian geese that frequent the pond. He chases them all over the place.

Though he takes food from me he does hiss quite a bit. Maybe he is warning me not to mess with him.... He takes food right from my hand followed by a bit of robust hissing then more food and more hissing... Maybe I shouldnt hand feed him but it is too much fun. The female wont take food by hand I have to throw it in the water.

Ive got a digital camera. If I can figure out how Ill post a pic you all can look at.