Swan bullies

[Ukwildlifeo]

I have often observed the canda geese scaring away small wildfowl on my local lake. But theres a new boss now. I watched this guy cruise round the lake doing things like this:



He then went for a canada goose that jumped out the water and was so intimidated he chose to jump out the lake close to me (ie less than a metre), rather than stay in the water with the swan.

I reminded me of this incident in oare marshes a couple of months ago:



Our biggest bird picking on probaly our smallest wildfowl! the bully!

[Kymba]

Has the swan got Young nearby he is protecting???? That is often the reason for them being so aggressive.

[werdnal]

We went to one of our local ponds at the weekend. There are 2 islands, a smaller one which a male swan is obviously defending - assume his mate is on a nest in the undergrowth but could not see her, and a second larger island where the ducks and other wildfowl go. The male patrols the whole pond, and most other things make way for him, but there was this one moorhen who went absolutely mad, and the swan seemed so surprised he backed off - it was really funny. Although they are used to being the boss, I think the unexpected behaviour of such little birds can sometimes get the better of them.

[Ukwildlifeo]

Originally Posted by Kymba

Has the swan got Young nearby he is protecting???? That is often the reason for them being so aggressive.

Strangly in both cases it was a single swan. I would have put it down to protecting young or a nest site otherwise.

[Madelinew]

I see this a lot at my local canoe lake which has a good sized swan population as well as other birdlife. I get the impression it's posturing and telling everyone who's boss. Always impressive to see tho cos don't they shift through the water with that extra strong stroke they put in when doing this?

[Ukwildlifeo]

Originally Posted by Madelinew

Always impressive to see tho cos don't they shift through the water with that extra strong stroke they put in when doing this?

They certainly do, and yet they look like there exerting no effort as they slide across the water

[Madelinew]

The local swimming pool is right next to the canoe lake and I spend most of my daughter's swimming lesson gazing at the swans. Am I supposed to be gazing dotingly at my daughter's efforts in the pool?

[brainfarmer]

i think with swans like most animals its important to differentiate between protecting young and territorial behaviour, of course the two do overlap. some animals are very territorial all the time and some its more a breeding thing. u can also have group territories with more social animals like badgers and the converse is female animals defending against all comers in defence of young even when the interloper is the genetic father. i dont think we understand animals enough to be definative about behaviour. from what iv read swans tend to be quite aggresive most of the time esp towards other water fowl i read that moorhens are very aggresive in the breeding season but not at other times of the year. i guess its why some birds can nest in very close proximity and others dont.

[Ukwildlifeo]

Mystery solved

[JeffH]

Nice one UKwildlifeo - so he wasn't just being a bully after all

Jeff