Mute Swans Of The Farmington River

These are some general fact about swans:

A male swan is called a "cob".
A female swan is called a "pen".
A baby swan is called a "cygnet".
A group of baby swans or eggs is called a "clutch".
Swans eat the vegatation that grows in aquatic regions.
Swans typically attack with their wings. A blow from the wing of a swan can seriously injure a small child and can also injure adults. The swan has very strong wings and the blow from a swan's wing is harmful to people.
Swans usually do not bite as the preferred method of attack. They attack with their wings as a first choice. If a swan has injured its wings, it may resort to try to bite intruders to chase them off.
Swans are more aggressive during their nesting season because they are trying to protect their nest, eggs, and/or offspring. The nesting season for swans begins in March and usually lasts a few months until the cygnets are large enough to fend for themselves.
When a swan approaches an intruder to protect its territory, it usually has its wings raised over its back but not spread to fly, making it look larger and more imposing. A swan will also lower its head towards the middle of its back when it is approaching in an imposing, aggressive manner. The angry expression on a swan's face will also confirm the swan's aggressive intent.
If a swan flies towards you, lands, and approaches you, it is probably doing so to evaluate you as a threat and possibly to protect its territory if it evaluates you to be a threat.
Swans do not arbitrarily attack people. Swans will only attack if they are provoked. Invading a swans territory, threatening a swan or its eggs or its offspring or its nest or its food supply will provoke a swan.
When not provoked or threatened, swans are peaceable creatures.
If you invade a swan's territory and the swan can not discern your purpose for doing so, it will evaluate you to be a threat and may attack you.
Swans are not naturally afraid of people, though they will avoid them if not threatened by them. A swan will attack a person to protect its territory, nest, offspring, or food supply.
Swans are very smart. They can remember individual people and can remember which people were nice to them and which ones were abusive.
Swans do not attack for food. Swans atttack to protect their territory.
Swans have very sensitive hearing and can hear sounds from a very long distance. Swans depend on their sensitive hearing to protect themselves from predators.
If a cob hears a sound approaching its territory, it will move in the direction of the sound to evaluate the source as a potential threat.

The following tips can help you to peacefully coexist with swans:

If a swan approaches you in an aggressive, imposing manner, quietly walk away to avoid an attack.
If you are near the established nesting area and territory of a pair of swans, you should stay quiet and do not make any disturbances or commotion that might antagonize the swans.
Feeding swans may make them more likely to come closer to human intruders when swans are guarding their territory. It is not a good idea to feed swans if they live in a densely populated area because this may make them feel more comfortable around people.
If a swan is repeatedly antagonized or abused, the swan may become more aggressive to all intruders.
If you have children and are in the area near where swans are nesting, you should supervise your children to ensure they do not provoke the swans into an attack. Keep the children away from the swans. The swans are strong enough to inflict serious injury on a small child.
Don't interfere with nature! Let nature take its natural course. Just leave swans alone and don't hurt them.

Swans have the right of way!!!

If you encounter a swan in the wild, the swan has the right of way even if the swan is on your own property. If you are fishing or hunting and a swan approaches you to chase you out of its territory, you must leave without injuring or antagonizing the swan. If you antagonize the swan into an attack or injure or kill the swan, you are committing a crime. If the swan is on your property in close proximity your living area and would like to have the swan(s) removed, you must contact the US Fish And Wildlife Service to have the swan(s) removed. Swans are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and it is a federal crime to take or kill a swan or its eggs.