Mute Swan war (1 Viewer)

Well, not a war but, today I saw an adult mute swan that has a mate on the same pond chase away a juvenile when it came around them.

I first started taking photos of the juvenile and then I saw that it was actually a 3rd swan on the pond and then I saw the adult go after it.

I know that swans are very territorial but nonetheless it was interesting.

Here is the first sequence with the adult chasing the juvenile into the feeder stream.

The juvenile went back on to the ice and the adult followed it and did it again.

What great action you've recorded CF. The poor young swans have a hard time of it, don't they.

I'm sure he'll soon find a new home - well hope he will anyway.

A good series of behavioural shots, cf. That must have been interesting to watch.

delia todd said:

What great action you've recorded CF. The poor young swans have a hard time of it, don't they.

I'm sure he'll soon find a new home - well hope he will anyway.

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Thanks. I imagine they do have it hard.

This is one of several close-by ponds that I visit regularly. The two adults have been living there for years. But for several days last week they had left because, I presume, their open water patch had frozen up during an especially cold spell. I first saw them back today.

I imagine for a lone juvenile, finding an unoccupied liquid patch of water in the winter might be a challenge.

Could the juve have been their offspring that is being told to go forth and live well prior to breeding again?

Andy Hurley said:

Could the juve have been their offspring that is being told to go forth and live well prior to breeding again?

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Unfortunately no. I've watched these swan for chicks since the ice melted last spring. They started out with 5 chicks in May. By mid-June there was only one left. Through the rest of the year I have observed the two adults but there have been no offspring at all. They lost the entire brood to predictors or human teenagers.

At first they continued to stay by the nest that is located close to where the photos above were. Just off to the right out of view is the feeder stream and reeds where they nested. Their chicks quickly dropped to 3, I suspect, because two large snapping turtles also hang out there. After that I never saw the family close to that side of the pond again. They moved to the opposite side. But the numbers kept dropping until no chicks were left.