Hull Biodiversity Action Plan

Mute Swans are one of the most easily identifiable British birds. The adult's plumage is pure white and the neck is long and curves in a graceful 'S' shape. The head is small with an orange-red beak, tipped with a black nail. There is a black knob over the nostrils at the base of the bill. The webbed feet are also black.

Mute Swans are a familiar sight on many rivers, canals, lakes and ponds, in both urban and rural areas. They are among the largest and heaviest birds that can fly and because of this require large areas of water to take off. Swans use their long neck to feed on underwater plants, which make up the bulk of their diet. They also eat algae and shore plants and occasionally will take worms, insects and fish. Swans also swallow grit and fine gravel to help grind up food.

Swans start to breed when they are 3-4 years old and often a pair will stay together for life. In early spring established pairs carry out elaborate courtship rituals and begin building their large sturdy nests from sticks and vegetation at the water's edge. During the breeding season males become very territorial and aggressive to any intruders and will snort and hiss noisily if they feel threatened. In late April about six round, greyish-green eggs are laid. When the cygnets hatch they are grey and downy. This down is soon replaced by brown feathers that gradually turn white during the next 12 months. The cygnets stay with their parents until the following breeding season; they are then driven away and normally join flocks of other non-breeding Swans.

CURRENT STATUS

Mute Swans are widespread but mainly lowland birds, rarely occurring above altitudes of 300m. A recent estimate (1997) suggests a population of 28 000 to 30 000 Mute Swans in Britain. Their distribution has changed little between the early 1970s and early 1990s but there have been wide variations in population size over this period. Mute Swan populations decreased dramatically in the 1960s but have increased continually since the mid-1980s. The Mute Swan appears on the UK Biodiversity Steering Group 'Long List of Globally Threatened/Declining Species' but is not on the RSPB list of 'Birds of Conservation Concern'.

Mute Swans have never been particularly common within Hull. Their population is restricted by the number of suitable waterbodies. A pair of Swans breeds annually in East Park, although they are not always very successful. Successful breeding has taken place in Pickering Park. Pairs and family groups have been regularly recorded on the Holderness Drain at North Bransholme and a pair regularly breeds on the Barmston Drain near Hall Road. The reservoir at Bransholme Sewage Works used to hold the largest numbers of Mute Swan in Hull. Mute Swans often become scarce in late summer as many birds leave to undergo their moult at traditional gathering places such as Hornsea Mere. Numbers build up again by late September and several additional pairs usually appear in East Park, on the larger drains and ponds or even on the Humber, until they leave to find nesting sites in March.

CURRENT FACTORS AFFECTING MUTE SWANS

Death by lead poisoning has been a major cause of Swan death in the past. Many Swans died because they were swallowing lead fishing weights with the grit they use to grind their food. When lead is consumed it is absorbed into the bloodstream. Lead is very poisonous and causes muscular problems, giving Swans the appearance of having a kinked neck because the muscles weaken and the bird is unable to support its neck correctly. Lead fishing weights have now been banned so the Swan population is recovering. It is suspected that lower levels of lead poisoning may contribute to deaths caused by flying accidents because agility and eyesight may be affected.
Entanglement in fishing tackle can also be a problem to Swans. Discarded fishhooks and lengths of nylon fishing line can both cause a Swan to suffer a painful death.
In urban areas Swans often attract unwanted attention. Within Hull there have been observations of people shooting and throwing stones at Swans. A nest at North Carr in Bransholme was abandoned in 2001 after the Swans were disturbed by a four-wheel drive off-road vehicle being driven through the pond.

CURRENT ACTION

Legal Status

Swans are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981). It is an offence intentionally to injure, take or destroy a wild Swan. It is an offence to take or possess the egg of a wild Swan, or to damage or destroy the nest whilst it is in use or being built. The Mute Swan is also listed in Appendix II of the Bonn Convention.

The Mute Swan has been a royal bird since at least 1186. The Swan's royal status was formally recognised in the 'Act of Swans' which came into force in 1482. The Act provided formal legislation concerning the ownership and marking of Swans. The Crown granted privileges of keeping Swans on open and common waters provided they were marked. All unmarked Swans belong to the Crown. On the Thames, at the annual 'Swan-upping', the cygnets are still marked on the beak as either the property of the Crown or of the two privileged City of London companies, the Dyers and Vintners. More recently, a specific clause was made in The Wild Creatures and Forest Law Act (1971) to safeguard the Queen's rights of ownership of Swans.

Management, Research and Guidance

Changes in the numbers of breeding birds, including Swans are measured by the BTO Common Birds Census (CBC), which ran from 1962-2000. This scheme mapped the territories of common birds on 200 to 300 farmland and woodland plots. The Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) began in 1994 and has replaced the CBC as the major monitoring scheme for land birds. It is based on 2300 1km squares, in which bird-watchers count and record birds along a 2km transect walked in a standardised manner within each square. All habitats and regions are well covered by the survey because the squares are chosen randomly by computer. The BTO Waterways Breeding Birds Survey (WBBS), which began in 1974, maps the territories of birds on rivers, streams and canals on 100 to 300 plots, covering an average length of 4.5km each.

Within Hull, local bird watchers keep records of sightings of birds including Swans. This information is useful to determine changes in numbers and distribution of the bird.

ACTION PLAN AIMS

To determine the distribution of Mute Swans within Hull.
To monitor known Mute Swan breeding sites.
To encourage people to contact the Police Wildlife Liaison Officer if they see people attacking birds or damaging their nests.
To encourage anglers not to leave any fishing hooks or line where it may cause damage to Swans.

WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO

Action	Target	Partner	Aim
Policy and Legislation
No policy or legislation proposed.
Habitat Management and Protection
No habitat/species management or protection proposed.
Advisory
Advise anglers not to discard fishing hooks, weights or line.	Ongoing: Highlight dangers to wildlife of discarded fishing tackle.	EA, EN, KuHCC (Parks and Open Spaces)	4
Future Research and Monitoring
To determine the distribution of Swans within Hull.	Short Term: Survey to determine the distribution of Swans.	HVWG, EYB	1
To monitor known Swan breeding sites.	Ongoing: Monitor known breeding sites annually to determine changes in numbers.	HVWG, EYB	2
Communications and Publicity
To encourage people to contact the Police Wildlife Liaison Officer if they see people attacking Swans or their nests.	Medium Term: Article in press highlighting past attacks on Swans and asking public to contact police in future.		3

WHAT WE CAN ALL DO

Contact the Police Wildlife Liaison Officer if you see people attacking Swans or their nests.
When fishing do not discard fishing line, weights or hooks.
Help the Biodiversity Partnership to determine the distribution of Swans in Hull by letting them know where Mutes Swans are nesting.
If you go fishing make sure you remove all your hooks and lines before leaving.

LINKS WITH OTHER ACTION PLANS

The management of Fresh Water Habitats will be important to the conservation of Swans.

REFERENCES

Baillie, S.R., Crick, H.Q.P., Balmer, D.E., Bashford, R.I., Beaven, L.P., Freeman, S.N., Marchant, J.H., Noble, D.G., Raven, M.J., Siriwardena, G.M., Thewlis, R. and Wernham, C.V. (2001) Breeding Birds in the Wider Countryside: their conservation status 2000. BTO Research Report 252. BTO, Thetford. (http://www.bto.org/birdtrends).

Broughton, R.K. (2002) Birds of the Hull Area. Kingston Press, Hull.

Gibbons, D.W. (1993) New Atlas of Breeding Birds in Britain and Ireland: 1988-1991. Poyser, London.

Gregory, R.D., Noble, D.G., Cranswick, P.A., Campbell, L.H., Rehfisch, M.M. and Baillie, S.R. (2001) The State of the UKs Birds. RSPB, BTO and WWT, Sandy.

Marchant, J.H. (1990) Population Trends in British Breeding Birds. British Trust for Ornithology.

RSPB (1996) Birds of Conservation Concern in the United Kingdom, Channel Islands and Isle of Man. RSPB, Sandy.

RSPB (1998) Swans. RSPB, Sandy.

RSPB (2001) Wild Birds and the Law. RSPB, Sandy.