Mute Swans: Invasive or Inoffensive?

[XLFD]

About 20 people were interested enough in mute swans on Hamlin Lake to attend an informational meeting about possible controls on the invasive birds on 12-13-2012.  A change in Department of Natural Resources policies allows townships to apply for permits for control efforts for the birds.   Wayne Andersen and Mark Knee arranged the meeting that was attended by Victory, Hamlin and Grant township officials.

DNR Wildlife Biologist Erin Victory from the Baldwin office explained that there are three main problems with mute swans, which is why the agency has set goals of population reduction statewide.  She said the first problem with the swans is that they can be aggressive and attack humans and pets as well as native waterfowl species.  The birds also eat 4-8 pounds of aquatic vegetation a day, which she said reduces available forage for other species. Large populations can also produce large amounts of waste as well, she said.

The third problem with the swans, she said, is that they nest about three weeks earlier than native trumpeter swans and common loons, outcompeting them for nesting habitat. Both trumpeter swans and common loons are considered threatened in the state.

If any of the townships passed a resolution approving controls, they could then apply to the DNR for a control permit, which would allow the townships to have USDA Wildlife Services control the swans or allow the DNR to train people to do controls.  What are controls? Shooting, trapping and euthanizing, addling eggs and nest destruction.

Victory explained that in 2010 there were about 15,500 in the state. The state has a goal of zero population growth for mute swans by 2016 and reducing the statewide number of swans to 2,000 statewide by 2030.  Some of the attending people of the townships voiced their opinions and concerns.  Though no course of action was arrived at yet.  For those who want to read more on the State's efforts to control these invasive, threatening, voracious eating and pooping beasts please read this lengthy document prepared for Hamlin Township.

Having seen the Michigan DNR go after pigs with feral characteristics being raised on private farms with little or no discretion to property rights  (read this article, visit the links therein if you haven't already) under a recently passed policy, I decided to do some research into mute swans.

In a management plan drafted in 2011, but not made public until recently, Michigan’s Department of Natural Resources (DNR) declared war on the majestic mute swan. Calling these beautiful, free-ranging and naturalized swans invasive and alien, Michigan will kill as many as 1500 swans a year every year for the next five years with the goal of slaughtering tens of thousands of swans over the next 18 years. Incredibly, DNR has just taken the horrific step of asking private citizens to get permits and actually help to slaughter these magnificent swans

The MI DNR and other 'conservation groups' offer that there are 15,500 mute swans, though many experts dispute that number, let's consider that accurate.  There are over 35,000 inland lakes in Michigan so that amounts to one pair of mute swans per four lakes.  Consider the land areas:

Grant Twp 48.9 sq mi + Victory Twp 36.5 sq mi + Hamlin Twp 34.4 sq mi = 119.8 sq mi

Michigan Area = 96,176 sq mi.

These townships amount to 0.12 % of Michigan's area, and thus would be expected to have on average 18 mute swans between them.  That would be a family of six swans per township.  This is a problem that requires attention?

Mute swans are not only graceful and a more inobtrusive part of the environment than their louder counterparts, the trumpeter swan, they also provide a number of unique benefits for the state of Michigan. They beautify and enhance the environment and they are a humane goose deterrent, which can be a bigger problem when they concentrate in an area.  Controlling geese populations would cut into the 100,000 geese harvested each year by hunters, perhaps a conflicting interest for the DNR.

As for the mute swans devouring aquatic vegetation in vast quantities, let us not forget that Hamlin Twp, along with the City of Ludington and PM Twp, have been cooperatively paying a bit of money for weed control on Lincoln Lake, just north of Cartier Park.  Mute swans in fair numbers would be a natural solution to at least part of the problem.  Their poop is no worse than other waterfowl's in contents or volume.

So why has the Michigan DNR waged a relentless campaign trying to convince us that Mute swans are nasty beasties that must be destroyed, demonizing them with words like "invasive", "feral", "non-native", and "aggressive".  They claim they are protecting native waterfowl, while sanctioning the annual slaughtering of over 300,000 "native" waterfowl by issuing permits and stamps.  If they have been introduced over 100 years ago (some experts dispute that claim, saying they were here already), when will they become a native bird? 

When it comes to opposing the introduction of non-native species in Michigan, or claiming one is non-native, the DNR appears to pick its battles based mainly on whether a species “displaces” or qualifies as a game animal. An example of this is the ring-necked pheasant that was brought into Michigan from China specifically to be introduced for hunting. Ironically, this non-native game fowl, which has been designated the Official State Bird in South Dakota, has been implicated in the elimination of the once "native", but now extinct Prairie Chicken from Michigan.

Clearly, if the DNR can devote its time and energy to introducing pheasants, it can allow mute swans to live and be enjoyed by the public and provide these beautiful resident with the stewardship and respect they deserve.   Mute swans are still protected under Michigan law, but the DNR seems to have a free reign when it comes to deciding their fate. It is up to us to speak out for our Mute swans.  Standing mute is not an option.

[Willy]

Very nice job of putting this article together however I must disagree with your conclusions. My observations of Mute Swans and conclusions are different than what you have stated. After observing Mute Swans for long periods of time I can say without a doubt they are one of the most aggressive birds I have ever witnessed. They are territorial to a fault. They will not allow any type of waterfowl to feed, nest, raise young or even be on the water in their territory. That alone would not seem much of a problem but the fact that they will protect an extremely large territory is. I have seen a single pair of Mute Swans chase all manner of water fowl out of an area that measured approximately 1/2 mile in length. I watched feeding trumpeter swans that were 1/4 mile away from Mute Swans being harassed. The Mutes   flew all the way over and chased the Trumpeters out of the water.  It's very rare to see a trumpeter swan anymore because of the aggressiveness of the Mutes. I'm my opinion the number of Mutes is under estimated. Even though they are a beautiful bird, they are a tremendous hindrance  when it comes to the propagation of other water foul species. Those folks who want to see the Mute numbers reduced have, I'm sure, the same opinion as myself. Below is exactly how Mutes react to other water fowl and is what I have observed many times.

[Willy]

Other examples of bullying

[AQUAMAN]

My Fine Feathered Friends, very interesting thread and debate. Looks like not all "birds of a feather, should fly together" these days either. Nice videos Willy, speaks volumes to your side, along with X's brand of links and resources, very in-depth analysis so far. This kinda dovetails with the Cormorant debate of recent years.

[XLFD]

I would presume something spearheaded by Wayne Anderson would have some merit behind it Willy, but I am a bit of a naturalist myself, and have yet to have any problems with mute swans, or seen them bully any other creature in my excursions, and the three townships are where I've seen most of them. 

In looking at your three videos, I cannot help but think if they were edited in the mute swan's favor, you could show some geese double teaming a mute, and other birds being aggressive towards the mute swan.  I will not say the mute swan is not territorial, but I've seen them coexist with other birds within a dozen feet with no aggression.  Here's my own video that confirms such coexistence with their usual nemesis, the Canadian geese:

 

[Willy]

It all depends on the time of year. Before and during the nesting season and when chicks are growing is when Mutes are the most aggressive. I'll bet the video above was not taken during that time of year. I to have seen them get along with other birds but not during the breeding season. My observations  in Mason county have been on Hamlin, Lincoln, Bass Lakes and a few smaller lakes to the east. If they weren't such a problem then why would there be and effort to maintain their numbers. I was on one of those small bridges off the campgrounds at Ludington State Park and a Mute flew from over a 1/4 mile away to challenge me because I was near the water. Most birds will fly or waddle away when approached but not mutes. 

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/dnrnews/infocus/muteswanfacts.html "The mute swan is one of the world’s most aggressive species of waterfowl. In Maryland, mute swan pairs have become a nuisance, driving people away from shorelines where swans vigorously defend their nest during the breeding season. This aggressive behavior has also led to the displacement of native birds from nesting and feeding areas. Mute swans are responsible for driving the last remaining colony of black skimmers, a state-threatened species, from the Maryland portion of the Chesapeake Bay. Mute swans have been observed exhibiting aggression toward tundra swans, driving them from their habitats of protected coves and feeding areas. Since the mid-1970s, Maryland's wintering tundra swan population has declined by about 30%."

 

http://www.sharonfoc.org/sightings/mute_swans.html "Mute swans are highly invasive of wetland habitats, impact native species of fish and wildlife, damage commercial agricultural crops, and pose a threat to human health and safety. As such, they cause serious nuisance problems and property damage, including economic loss. Because of their consumption of large quantities of submerged aquatic vegetation and their aggressive behavior, mute swan compete directly with many other water birds and fisheries for critical habitats. Due to their strong territorial defense, some pairs will vigorously defend nest and brood sites from intrusion by other wildlife and have attacked humans, causing serious harm. They do provide some aesthetic value for public enjoyment. But, as populations of mute swans have grown in various states and expanded into new areas, there is a need to coordinate management actions among state/provincial and Federal wildlife agencies to reduce numbers to desirable"

http://www.squidoo.com/muteswan "Mute Swans are aggressive birds. They will chase other water birds such as the Loon and Trumpeter Swans away from prime nesting sites. With no place to nest, they often loose an entire breeding season."

http://activerain.com/blogsview/3318255/caution-aggressive-mute-swa...Recently, when spending a quiet evening on the boat in Port Credit, we witnessed a very violent attack by a pair of Mute Swans. One of the Mute Swans was on top of another Mute Swan with it's neck grasped firmly in it's beak.It repeatedly tried to bash the weaker swan's head against the rocks and when this didn't seem to be working, it opted for trying to drown the swan by holding it's head under water."

 

[XLFD]

I am sure you can find many more of these anecdotes, many initiated by the anti-Mute contingent, just as you can find plenty of bad anecdotes about feral pigs.  These have both been targeted by the MI DNR, and the motivations are different for both, but the method is very similar. 

Demonize the creatures by overstating their numbers and aggressiveness, call them invasive when the ancestors of these swans in this country predated the ancestors of many of us meaning they have had more generations on this continent than any person without Amerind ancestors, and say they eat too much aquatic vegetation when we are having problems with over-vegetated waterways, more than one or two families of mute swans can every eat.

The Mute swan isn't a game bird and may sometime establish itself in places where game birds nest.  I see this as a conflict of interest for the DNR and several conservation groups, who have come out with these reports.  I view it personally as a troubling bit of experimentation into the natural order of what's happening in nature.  Erin Victory offered shooting, trapping and euthanizing, addling eggs and nest destruction as control methods.  I think that is inhumane before you establish a scientifically clear reason why it needs to be done. 

And this unsportsmanlike human involvement in shamelessly killing these swans only costs everyone money, and further divides communities over something that should best be left alone.  Let nature take its course until there is a clear and convincing argument for controlling the Mute swan population.