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Bird

Swan

Cygnus olor

✓What to do NOW

  1. 1Adult swans can be aggressive, especially with cygnets nearby
  2. 2Use a large towel or jacket to cover the wings and hold them to the body
  3. 3Grasp the neck gently but firmly (do not squeeze the trachea)
  4. 4Keep the wings firmly closed against the body during transport
  5. 5Very large box or transport crate
  6. 6Contact CRAS or vet

✗NEVER do this

  • ✗Do not approach swans with cygnets — they attack violently
  • ✗Do not give bread — causes "angel wing" deformity, a permanent bone malformation
  • ✗Do not grab by the wings — they fracture easily
  • ✗Do not immerse a swan that cannot float independently in water

⚠ Important note

Swans are often victims of fishing lines and hooks (lead ingestion = lead poisoning), abandoned nets, and collisions with power lines. If the swan has a visible hook or line: never remove it yourself — a vet is needed. Lead poisoning is the leading cause of swan death in Italy.

⚖ Legal protection

The mute swan is not on the hunting calendar but is protected by local environmental regulations in many regions.

Also known as

mute swanwhooper swantundra swancygnet

Did you find a swan right now?

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