STORY BEHIND THE PHOTO:

I have been monitoring Allamuchy Pond, watching the pair of Mute Swans there attending a nest at the edge of the pond’s south shoreline amid the tall reeds.  On Saturday evening, May 2, I sat on the bench in the parking area and they were still on the nest. 

Then on Sunday, May 3, after driving around checking out ‘stuff,’ I thought, “let me stop by Allamuchy Pond with this beautiful weather!”  Pull off the road and looking through the trees, I don’t see the swans on the nest. Then, I catch sight of two kayakers in the middle of pond and finally see the two swans along the shoreline!! 

I get my camera and get down along the pond’s edge for a better view.  I am looking and suddenly notice tiny gray cygnets — six of them!!  I think I have my Photo of the Week!!  I just have to check and make sure I haven’t reported on the swans before!!  Checked my records, nothing on swans, AND WE ARE GOOD TO GO!! 

I am familiar with swans and they are really quite an impressive animal!!  AND, they are easy to see at Allamuchy Pond!! 

Mute Swans

Mute Swans are not a natural species to this area.  They were introduced to the Northeast from Europe and are most populous in southeastern New York, New Jersey and Maryland. They earn their name because they are usually silent, but they do hiss and bark.

These large birds can reach up to five and a half feet and their wingspan cup to more than seven feet!!  Males — called cobs — are larger than females and have a large knob on their bill.  On average, this is the second largest waterfowl.  At an average of 33 pounds, male Mute Swans are one of the heaviest flying birds! Referred to as cobs, a large male usually has the average weight of 33 pounds. 

Young swans are called cygnets, they are not the bright white of adults, and their bills are greyish-black for the first year.  Cygnets grow fast, reaching adult size in about three months. They retain their grey feathers for about a year with the down feathers on their wings having been replaced by flight feathers earlier that year.

Mute Swans nest on large mounds built with waterside vegetation in shallow water, on islands in the middle of a lake, or at the edge of ponds.  They are monogamous and often reuse the same nest each year, restoring and rebuilding as needed.  Males and female swans share the care of the nest. Once the cygnets are fledged, it is not uncommon to see a whole families looking for food. 

Swans eat submerged aquatic plants, which they can reach with their long necks, and land vegetation. In the winter when plants are scarce, they can damage crops through both eating them and trampling them with their large webbed feet.

Mute Swans are usually strongly territorial with just a single pair on smaller lakes.  Though they aren’t vocal, they do have a sound associated with them: a vibrant throbbing of the wings in flight, which is unique to the species,and can be heard from a distance of a half mile to mile away.

Mute Swans can be very aggressive defending their nests and highly protective of their mate and offspring.  Mute Swans will regularly attack people who enter their territory!  The familiar pose with neck curved back and wings half raised, known as busking, is a threat display. I have witnessed these movements over the years in Allamuchy Pond, with the male chasing Canada Geese. Swans will even attack small watercraft that it feels are a threat to its young. Most defensive attacks begin with a loud hiss, and if this doesn’t work, a physical attack!  If you ever hear a swan hiss, it’s time to get back!

Swans attack by biting smashing into their enemy with bony spurs in the wings. The wings of a swan are very powerful, though not strong enough to break an adult man’s leg, as commonly misquoted. 

The most common predator of cygnets are snapping turtles. Injured adults may be preyed upon by coyotes, lynxes, and bears. Healthy adults can usually swim away from danger, unless protecting a nest, or protect themselves against even larger dogs.

Like other swans, Mute Swans are known for their ability to grieve for a lost or dead mate or cygnet.  Should one of the pair die while there are cygnets present, the remaining parent will take up their partner’s duties in raising the clutch.

Thanks for joining me to celebrate our first baby animal post of the season! For more photos, please visit my flickr site.

Enjoy Your Open Space

Charlie Fineran

Charlie Fineran is Allamuchy’s Director of Open Space, Allamuchy Township Environmental Commission Chairman and Allamuchy Historical Society President.