Concerned about Swans 🦢 (1 Viewer)

[SwanQuestion]

Hi everyone, I’m new here.
I’m not really a bird expert, but I like swans.
In Switzerland , there are many swans on lakes. My father said that they will nest in a hidden place, and one will always stay on the eggs. But yesterday I saw what looks like a swan nest with eggs in a random place easily visible to people, with many people walking around. There was only one swan, and not on the eggs. He/she was just napping close to the eggs, not on them. The swan does lift its head up occasionally, he/she is certainly alive, but why is he/she not on the eggs?!
Is this normal?
I’m really concerned, but I don’t speak French so I can’t contact anyone, and also everything is closed on weekends/after work hours so I probably won’t be able to reach any service.
So I wanted to see if there is anyone here who can help me explain if this is okay or not…
Please help, I’m very concerned!
- Nikki

 

[Kits]

Welcome to Birdforum.

It could be its first nesting season so hasn’t yet learned the best places to build a nest or to incubate the eggs.

Incidentally, photos of nests aren’t allowed on the forum.

 

[SwanQuestion]

Welcome to Birdforum.

It could be its first nesting season so hasn’t yet learned the best places to build a nest or to incubate the eggs.

Incidentally, photos of nests aren’t allowed on the forum.

Hi, thanks for your reply.
Sorry that I posted the photo that’s not allowed but I’m just so concerned about the poor swans and couldn’t find any other good forums online to ask for help…
Many other forums aren’t active anymore, or are just help pages where you can call for help (but based in either UK or US) so I thought this was my best shot.
I hope the swan will be okay, they are lovely and I hope they can have a healthy and happy family.

 

[Julie50]

Do you have a local/local branch of a national wildlife rescue service. I would call them if I had a similar situation in the UK?

 

[johnallcock]

It looks like the nest has been built somewhere that the water level changes. Perhaps it was built at the edge of the water, but the water level has now dropped leaving the nest exposed. As mentioned in a previous post, this may be due to the swan being inexperienced. But it is not necessarily a problem, if the nest is well defended from predators and if the water does not rise in future to flood the nest. I've seen swan nests very close to public footpaths and they survive fine.

She is probably not sitting on the eggs because the clutch is not complete. They can lay lots of eggs, one per day. Many birds don't incubate the eggs until they have all been laid, so that they all hatch at the same time - it is easier to look after chicks of the same age than different ages. The adult is probably next to the nest to defend those eggs if anyone tries to get too close, while the other adult is feeding nearby.

My advice would be to leave them and check back in a few days. Hopefully the location is safe enough and adults are defending the nest so the eggs will survive, and they may start incubating soon.

 

[Andy Lakin]

I would agree that the pair are possibly breeding for the first time. The nest looks nothing like a typical Swans nest with smaller twigs and some green vegetation. I'm wondering if they have just laid the eggs in a random pile of twigs that have been left behind when the water receded. Also usually Swans like to nest near to soft vegetation and will often spend a long time getting the nest just right by adding green material.