Productivity and Management of Feral Mute Swans in Chesapeake Bay

One or two mated pairs of pinioned mute swans (Cygnus olor) escaped from impoundments along tributaries of east central Chesapeake Bay in 1962. These feral swans and their offspring have bred successfully in the wild each year since and increased their numbers to about 151 during the last decade. In...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of wildlife management 1975-04, Vol.39 (2), p.280-286
Main Author: Reese, Jan G.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal nesting
Bird nesting
Eggs
Mating behavior
Mortality
Population growth
Productivity
Swans
Vegetation
Waterfowl
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Summary:One or two mated pairs of pinioned mute swans (Cygnus olor) escaped from impoundments along tributaries of east central Chesapeake Bay in 1962. These feral swans and their offspring have bred successfully in the wild each year since and increased their numbers to about 151 during the last decade. In the past 7 years, the breeding pairs hatched 54 percent of their eggs, fledged 86 percent of their young, and achieved 80 percent nesting success. This has caused a rapid population increase which presents waterfowl biologists with new problems in management. Ecological implications for the Chesapeake Bay are discussed.
ISSN:0022-541X
1937-2817
DOI:10.2307/3799904