New Evidence of Early Presence of Cygnus olor - Click here

Introduction

Mute Swan (Cygnus olor), Citizen of the World.

For many years, despite solid evidence to the contrary, the mute swan (Cygnus olor) has been called a non-native bird in America, thought to have been imported from England. It is, in fact, an ancient circumboreal bird, with a history across Europe and Asia, including the Russian Maritimes and Kamchatka, a major staging area for millions of birds on migration to the American continent, a short distance away. (Dement'ev 1970, Weiloch 1992) a major staging area for millions of birds on migration across the American continent, a short distance away. It has been recorded in Alaska (Sladen and King, 1976) (Heilprin, J. Assoc. Press, 2006 ), Saskatchewan (Greenwood, 2000) and found in 17th century, precolonized James Bay area (Baldwin,D.H. and C.S.Churcher, 1967). Iceland (Sutton,G.M.1965),migrates from the Great Lakes to the States (Cirianca,et al,2003)and has never exceeded a total population of 16,000 in recent history on this continent.

Three of the four swan species in Russia/Siberia fly across to Alaska. The fourth, is the Mute swan is known to have flown across to Alaska, too. Why wouldn't it? It was recently learned that mute swans were indigenous to Holland and Sweden, when specimens were found in bogs thousands of years old (International Swan Symposium, 1992) The situation can be compared to discoveries of fossils and other specimen evidence that have been found in four states on the United States and in Canada.

             A number of countries lay claim to the mute swan, adorning stamps and coins with its image, from China to Ireland. The United Nations Environmental program lists this mute swans in seventy countries. The United States agencies, meanwhile, want to eradicate the bird, whereas Canada, a Migratory Bird Convention (1916 partner, has no such killing program. Swans were meant to be protected under the Treaties between the United States and Japan, Canada, Russia and Mexico. Why are they now being targeted? Start an email campaign, a written letter campaign or a telephone campaign and tell your government that YOU DO NOT WANT THE MUTE SWANS KILLED!

Explanation            

             There is no scientific basis for mute swan control in North America. It does not compete with any other wildlife, nor does it damage ecosystems. In America, the Mute swan migrates in the Saskatchewan area, (Greenwood 2003), in the Hudson's Bay area, over the Great Lakes into the United States, dispersing there  (Cirianca et.al. 2001), US Fish & Wildlife, 2006). It also migrates down the Pacific coast in California, but is "removed" in Oregon and Washington State. Interior swans must often migrate to and from mid- Atlantic coastal wintering locations when breeding area lakes freeze over, returning to their nesting area when the lakes open. Dillon Ripley, who headed the Smithsonian for many years, wrote that "mute swans have been gracing our rivers and streams since Colonial Days,". The US Fish and Wildlife Service purports that the mute swan is not a native species in North America claiming it does not satisfy arbitrary guidelines used to determine whether or not a species is indigenous.

Status

The Mute Swan is one of the species to which the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) and the RAMSAR Convention apply. Population numbers have remained stable in most states and decreased dramatically, in others. However, numbers fluctuate, due to die-offs caused by pollution, degraded lead in water bodies, installation of towers, high wires and loss of habitat due to development. A massive die-off of waterfowl, including swans, came in 1926, when the U.S. War Department tested phosphorus bombs in Baltimore Harbor, emptying into the Chesapeake Bay. The primary causes of early death in mute swans are, over head wires, severe weather, attacks by dogs, automobiles, attacks by humans, coyotes, pollution in water, snapping turtles, skunks, raccoons. In 2004 a nationwide program in the United States was announced that would reduce mute swan populations by 85%, with the remaining swans to be pinioned, neutered and placed in parks. This caused an outrage by citizens and was fought in court and is scheduled to be, again.

              In Canada, no such program was developed. Concurrently, a program to "place" trumpeter swans to replace the mute swans, was formalized, often in areas in which trumpeter swans were never shown to exist.  Public response was  unfavorable, as shown by letters to state and federal agencies, outnumbering those in favor, by more than a hundred to one (U.S. Federal Register, 2004).

START MAKING THOSE CALLS AND SENDING THOSE LETTERS TO STOP THE KILLING PLAN!

             In some places numbers of mute swans are increasing, for example in the United Kingdom, following a ban on the use of lead weights by anglers. In Russia the species is no longer listed in The Red Book, of threatened species populations. US Fish and Wildlife population data from fourteen American states in which Mute Swans are found indicate a significant drop in swan numbers (USFWS  and Flyway Council documents for 2005. Burton 2007)This may be the result of ongoing "removal" programs.

Mute Swan replacement program        

             The Mute Swan is protected in some states by state statute, for example, in Connecticut (Ct. State Statutes, 2007). Since swans eat algae, they can be very valuable in shallow Bay areas, in rivers and ponds. They are also insectivores and will eat small insects. why is there a problem? Trumpeter Swans, native birds have been "placed" by  wildlife management agencies, often in areas in which they never bred historically, to create a "trophy" species for sportsmen (Trumpeter Swan Society 2006) It has been theorized that mutes and trumpeters compete for habitat and food. Such competition has never been scientifically demonstrated. The trumpeter is  much bigger,  and more aggressive bird, and could easily muscle out mutes in the event of competition (Johnson  1978,Trumpeter Swan Society Report.) There has already been a trial hunting season on Trumpeter swans in the Pacific Flyway and suggested programs to expand the program coast to coast.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

1. Write letters to the editors of your local media

2. Get as many people as possible to call their State and Federal representatives and demand the killing program be stopped.

3. Write to the President's wife, your Governor, anyone in power positions.

References and Suggested Reading

Burton,K.2007 Mute Swans may have Russian, not English accents] Ezine

Heilprin, J(1/23/2007) Mute swans." majestic swans flying across the Bering Strait into Alaska." Photo shows mute swans, up close. AP item.

Cirianca Hill v, Norton, Federal Court of Appeals, Washington, D.C. (2001)

Hogan, C. M.2006. Environmental Database for Oland, Sweden. Lumina Press. Connecticut State Statutes, 2005. Protection of the Mute Swan species.

Dement'ev ,G.P. and N.A.Gladkov.1967 Birds of the Soviet Union, Vol.IV (USFWS              translation).

Madge, S. and H. Burn (1987). Wildfowl: An Identification Guide to the Ducks, Geese and Swans of the World. A & C Black. ISBN 0-7470-2201-1.

Jefferson,G.T.2005 Fossil Treasures of the Anza-Borrego Desert. P. 153)"

Latham,John.1824 General History of Birds.220-223.

Library of Congress.1926. Removal of Phosphorous in Chesapeake Bay Where Ducks Feed Parrott, D., and M.V.McKay 2001. Mute swan grazing on winter crops: Estimation of yield loss in oilseed rape and wheat. Crop Protection, 20, 913-919.

Pennant,Thomas.1792 Arctic Zoology, Vol.II,Class II,Printed for Rbt Faulder, London. 262-265.

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