Swans

[NTSOG]

G'day All,

Every so often we see pair of black swans on one or other of our dams and always with a mob of tiny cygnets 'in tow'. Now, two of our dams are fenced off from stock and provide plenty of cover and wading areas for all sorts of birds, e.g. plover, snipe, coots, even the odd pelican or two, etc. to live and breed, but we've never seen a broody pair of nesting swans on those protected dams. The swans we have seen have come to visit with their newly hatched broods and rarely stayed for long, often being gone the next morning. What I don't understand is how they go from dam to dam with the cygnets and avoid foxes, cats, hawks and so on. I know that an angry swan is potentially a serious 'opponent', but how are the tiny little fluff-balls transported safely across country? I've done some research but cannot find any information.

Jim

[on_one_wheel]

They're very protective birds, much like geese.
They hiss, flap their wings and charge convincingly enough to scare away most prey.
They simply stand on the way

[NTSOG]

G'day on_one_wheel,

So the little balls of fluff walk cross country with their parents through the night from one dam to the next? They must be tough little beggars.

Jim

[on_one_wheel]

G'day on_one_wheel,

So the little balls of fluff walk cross country with their parents through the night from one dam to the next? They must be tough little beggars.

Jim

How far between dams is it?

[bladeracer]

G'day on_one_wheel,

So the little balls of fluff walk cross country with their parents through the night from one dam to the next? They must be tough little beggars.

Jim

I find ducks walking their kids through the paddocks, they are very, very good at hiding. If you get too close one will run off making a racket like it's injured to drag a predator away. The other will bury the bubs under it's wings and hide in the grass. I'm more impressed with their ability to navigate at grass level, but I guess now and then one of them jumps up to have a look around. Haven't seen any swans around here.

[NTSOG]

O_O_W: "How far between dams is it?"

Distance between dams on my property varies from 60 yards to over 800, but the current family of swans came from somewhere else. I didn't see them arrive. I've never bothered to count the farm dams nearby - there must be 10 or 15 at least - so they could have been living nearby. Certainly ducks are good at hiding their ducklings and also playing the broken wing/chase me distraction game. I suspect swans are not as discrete in their behaviour and are better able to defend themselves and their cygnets.

Jim

[Die Judicii]

Nature provides them with excellent measures for survival.
Out of each litter there are invariably "some" casualties,, but unless you are watching them closely every day, and doing head counts,
the casualties aren't usually noticed.
Ducklings and tiny cygnets will invariably (when threatened with danger) head off into grassy/shrubby cover but always each individual
heads off in different directions to all the others. (lessening the risk of all getting caught)
Usually the parent/s will fly overhead circling, and calling out to the little ones,, and they take heed because once in cover,,,, they sit/lay
very still and are extremely hard to find.

When the danger ceases, the parent/s will land nearby, and start calling the little ones.
Then they almost magically start appearing out of the cover and begin congregating again.
I've watched this happen many times and always marvel at just how good their survival skills are.