Why do swans kill there young. (1 Viewer)

[robert s]

I was at little pond a pond on the White Memorial sanctuary property when I heard this loud commotion and saw this male swan jumping up and down on something . I had just taken quit a few photos of the swans. There were 2 adults and 2 juvenile swans. There were 3 juv to start with.Well when I came back a few days later there was only 1 chick left. There`s definatly plenty of food and I can`t figure out this seemingly senseless behavour. the juvenals were quit big big at this time .(at least a foot long). |:S|

 

[Taryn]

I am not so sure about this, but I have looked and looked and cannot find any reasons why swans would kill there young. I found a couple of articles which stated that parents may "force" there young away to protect them from predators (i.e. so the predator cannot find them at the nest).

I could be wrong, but perhaps it was just survival of the fittest that resulted in the death of these cygnets. It's quite often that young birds do not survive the first few weeks of there life.

Hopefully someone will have a better more educated answer!

 

[Rasmus Boegh]

It's territorial behavior. They will kill other swans (and other birds) if they get too near in the breeding season. Possibly, the juvenile swans had different parents, got lost, sought the "help" of another swan pair only to be killed by them. Second possibility, assuming it was their own young they killed: It has been reported that the territorial adults are so aggressive, that they end up killing even their own young.

 

[alcedo.atthis]

"I was at little pond a pond on the White Memorial sanctuary property when I heard this loud commotion and saw this male swan jumping up and down on something."

Going by the above, you are stating that you did not actually know what was going on. Therefore, you are supposing that the end result was a dead cygnet, and the relative cause was the actions of an adult.
The Data: Circumstances and victims of infanticide

In most cases of infanticide, you just assume it happened, but you don't know for sure- a new male comes in and begins chasing the mom with baby- they disappear and when you come back the next day, the baby is gone, so you assume infanticide. This data, however, is from a database in which they used cases where they actually knew that infanticide had occurred.

• The majority (67%) of all infanticides occur in one-male groups, (n=23)
• Most (21 or 91%) were committed by strange males
  • 17 (74%) were committed by immigrant males
  • 4 (17.4%) were committed by extra-group males
• Only 2 (< 10%) were committed by a male within the social group, but in both cases it was a male who had just increased his dominance rank. This is significant because only a higher-ranking male can benefit from a female coming into estrous sooner.
• 13 cases (=57%) occurred after takeovers by males
• All 23 of the infant victims were still unweaned

(Credit to the University of Michigan.)

Having said that, there is the following book:-'Swans on the Avon'. Battles for territory, adultery, infanticide, murder...
There is further reading at :-
http://av.rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A9ibyJxZ7wBDyIMA0EbrSKMX;_ylu=X3oDMTBvdmM3bGlxBHBndANhdl93ZWJfcmVzdWx0BHNlYwNzcg--/SIG=12p3nhor5/EXP=1124221145/**http%3a//www.biology.eku.edu/RITCHISO/behavecol/cdistel_infanticide.pdf

Regards

Malky

 

[raymondjohn]

Dear BFs

Does anyone agree that just as in human populations, some birds and animals simply become insane for whatever reason.

In centential park in Sydney there are a large group of ponds where swans frequently breed when conditions are good. All the usual territorial disputes and deaths occur as you would expect and life goes on as normal.

I have been visiting ths park for over 30 years.

About 6 years ago an extremely large male swan turned up out of the blue and started displaying the most amazing aggressive displays I've ever seen. Rejected by all females he set about trying to kill even very young adults. Local birdwatchers took to
carrying large rocks in order to try keep this wild bird under sime kind of control.

Not content with savaging everything on the water he started attacking humans and not just for food. He was a good judge of whom he could intimidate and unforunately mothers with toddlers were high on his list. These attacks were intimidating even for an an adult male. He would start about 30 yards away, begin sceaming spread the wings and neck to there extreme and run directly at you at full pace.

After a week one night he mysteriously disappeared the park rangers having done their job.

bestwishes

raymondjohn

 

[wings]

After a week one night he mysteriously disappeared the park rangers having done their job.

bestwishes

raymondjohn[/QUOTE]
________________

And what was his swan song?
Cheers.

 

[Terry O'Nolley]

He was a good judge of whom he could intimidate and unforunately mothers with toddlers were high on his list. These attacks were intimidating even for an an adult male.

I've seen this behaviour from a swan at the ponds at San Francisco's Palace for the Fine Arts. I was walking about 15 feet from the water when he sighted in on me from in the water about 25 feet away - he swam at me flapping his wings until he got on shore and then he pulled his wings way back and hissed as he ran at me. He totally ignored my girlfriend and chased me!

When he finally got tired I had to marvel at the sheer power of the fight or flight instinct! I could have snapped that swan's neck with one hand and easily killed it with no risk to myself but I ran in an almost blind panic

On the way back, he came at me again, but this time I was ready and stood my ground and he stopped his charge a few feet away and went back to the water.

I think swans are just big bullies!

 

[Tero]

Malky, are you sure it was swans? Sounds just like humans.

 

[alcedo.atthis]

"Malky, are you sure it was swans? Sounds just like humans."


Could be, so the next time someone asks you if you wish to do a bit of "Swanning around" then take care!!

Regards

Malky

 

[curunir]

I've seen this behaviour from a swan at the ponds at San Francisco's Palace for the Fine Arts. I was walking about 15 feet from the water when he sighted in on me from in the water about 25 feet away - he swam at me flapping his wings until he got on shore and then he pulled his wings way back and hissed as he ran at me. He totally ignored my girlfriend and chased me!

When he finally got tired I had to marvel at the sheer power of the fight or flight instinct! I could have snapped that swan's neck with one hand and easily killed it with no risk to myself but I ran in an almost blind panic

On the way back, he came at me again, but this time I was ready and stood my ground and he stopped his charge a few feet away and went back to the water.

I think swans are just big bullies!

Sam thing happened to me. My buddy and I were at the ATT buildings in Walnut Creek, CA when a swan came after me out of the pond. He totally ignored my buddy.

 

[Terry O'Nolley]

Sam thing happened to me. My buddy and I were at the ATT buildings in Walnut Creek, CA when a swan came after me out of the pond. He totally ignored my buddy.

I guess some of us are just on Swan's "beeyotch" list

 

[robert s]

update on swans.

Well the park ranger said that the last signet is dead thats 3.Oh and some more details this was a mute swan. Sorry for not putting more details in the 1st thread.