Swans killing young

Gremlin

Gremlin

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Ingrid
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Popped over to my local nature reserve earlier and was surprised to see the swans without any cygnets.
They originally had 5 and all were doing well, last week there were only 2, seems Dad was taking them onto the golf course next door and the thoughts were they had been caught by foxes
Today you could clearly see one lying dead on the bank opposite the hide and it seems the parents have been seen attacking the young
Anyone know why they would do this :shrug:
I will have a word with the warden when it's quieter and I see him
 
Is there a few pairs?...usually in the group there will be a dominant Male and once he and his mate have their young hatched then tend to pick on the other pairs cygnets or may be as you say foxes or other birds.
Nature is a lovely thing but at times can seem so harsh.
 
No just the one pair and this is the frst time they have sucessfully had young for a couple of years now
The dead cygnet had definitely not been been partially eaten, just lying dead near the waters edge
 
Managed to have a chat with the Warden today and seems they have no idea either :shrug:
Prior to this the mother had taken them over the road to a pond on a golf course and abandoned them, and both parents had forced them over the weir in the main millpond, both times they they were rescued by wardens
Something else I learnt was that they had one cygnet last year and they killed that too.
Only thoughts seem to be that perhaps there was something wrong with them :shrug:
 
I think infanticide can happen if the young are injured, weak or sick as it possibly puts the rest at risk of predation. Lack of food can be a factor too.
 
Yep but to kill the whole lot :(
Doubt anyone will ever know
 
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