The pair of Mute Swans living in Woodstock’s Southside Park for the past 12 years are returning to Stratford. Staff in the Friendly City decided to end the program for several reasons, including the health and safety of the swans and city staff. Staff has been working with Stratford’s experienced team and will be moving the birds to their new home later this week.
“Fortunately, the City of Stratford is in a position to welcome our swans back into their flock, so it seemed like the right time to make a change to the program,” explained Grant Drygas, Supervisor of Forestry and Parks in Woodstock. “Stratford has a great program and I know our swans will have a good home there.”
Stratford’s swan population was reduced by six in 2022 thanks to the avian flu and Stratford’s manager of parks, forestry, and cemetery, Quin Malott, says they are fortunate to have the swans coming home. “They know they will be well taken care of, and they are basically coming home. It’s perfect timing because we’re looking for birds when we are usually trying to sell them but because of the unfortunate incidents with the avian flu, we are looking to repopulate.”
Stratford’s annual Swan Release is scheduled for April 7, something Malott admits isn’t the show it once was, but many people still look forward to it. “We let the swans out and invite locals and others to come down and watch. At one time there was a lot of hoopla around it with bouncy castles and food trucks, but now it’s just more of a release.”
Mute swans are not native to North America and are considered an invasive species. A migratory bird aviculture permit is required, and staff must follow strict conditions under the permit including clipping or pinioning of their wings to prevent escape. While the swans spend the summer in and around Southside Pond, during the winter months, the swans are housed in a small, heated facility behind the Parks Department office.
As one of the largest species of waterfowl in the world, Mute Swans can weigh up to 19 kilograms (more than 40 pounds) with a wingspan of seven or eight feet. They also eat up to 4 kilograms of aquatic plants each day, often uprooting entire plants.
“We understand there are many who enjoy watching the pair of swans swimming in the pond, but ultimately they haven’t had the desired effect on the number of geese and may be negatively impacting the natural ecosystem,” added Drygas. “Communities in other parts of Ontario are now seeing a return of the native Trumpeter Swans, so we’re hopeful that could happen here too.”
The swans’ size and aggressive behavior has also been a challenge for parks’ staff responsible for moving them to their winter facility each fall. Because the swans resist being captured, the process poses a risk of injury to both the birds and staff.
According to the Government of Canada, Mute Swans were brought over in the 1870s by European settlers looking to beautify parks and gardens. Their populations have since flourished in Ontario, from 500 in 1985 to more than 3000 in 2012.
***With files from Lee GriffiÂ
