Ask an expert Mother pen keeps disappearing for weeks or days, is this normal?

Mother pen keeps disappearing for weeks or days, is this normal?

MsToasty 14/10/2023 17:56

My workplace has a lake onsite with a pair of mating swans that have been with us about 5 years.

This year they have 3 surviving cygnets who are now around 4 months old. The pen disappeared and the cob stepped in and took care of them. We feared the worst but then she came back after 2 weeks.

Since, she has continued to disappeae and come back. Is this normal swan behaviour as this seems to be the first year she's behaved like this and is there any reason she would she be doing this?

0 WendyBartter 14/10/2023 18:15

I'm sorry that I don't have any info regarding swan behaviours from personal experience but have googled to try and find an answer but have only come across this lengthy article about general lifestyles of Mute swans ... www.swanlife.com/information-about-swans
I can only suggest that you enquire at a dedicated Swannery like the one at Abbotsbury!

2013 photos & vids here

eff37 on Flickr
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0 tuwit 14/10/2023 21:50

IMO it's a myth that (mute) swan pairings are always monogamous. There was a two-timing cob on a lake near me once. His two lady-friends even had nests on the same body of water. He was a youngish cob originally shacked up with an older pen (ringing can reveal a lot of info), and I think her fertility was failing (declining clutch sizes) so he went looking for (cough) a newer model.

I'd be looking for that pen with a.n.other male on a close-by body of water to see whether she's thinking of a 'separation'.
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0 tuwit 14/10/2023 21:51 in reply to tuwit

You may need to be familiar with DARVIC rings (if they are ringed)
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