Not to long a go I read an article in an outdoor publication about how the Trumpeter Swans were sticking around Monticello(where I live) for the winter in record numbers. The article said the Swans were staying because of the open water in the Mississippi River created by the Nuclear Power plant (I won’t go there now), and people feeding them. This is not an uncommon thing in the area with other birds like the Canada Geese and various ducks.

The big problem with the 1500(give or take) Swans is, they are protected here in Minnesota and the DNR is afraid that they will contract some disease which in turn will wipe them all out. They did make the residents in the area stop feeding the Swans, but they still didn’t leave. The swans just started dyeing which isn’t a good thing in the minds of the Minnesota DNR. I’m guessing because they spent a whole lot of time and money rebuilding the Swans population in the state, and they feel it would be a waste to let them just die. Needless to say the feeding of the Swans resumed about a week or two later.

I feel if these birds aren’t smart enough to know they need to fly south in the winter they better be able to find their own food. I say stop feeding them and let nature take its course a thinning of the flock so to speak. The dumb ones will die off and the smarter birds will not only live and prosper, but make the states population of Swans much stronger. This will then help avoid the whole problem again in the future.
Let me know your thoughts.

Ben G.