photo credit: Peggy McNiff
Iconic waterbirds
Mute Swans are the intelligent, majestic, orange-beaked waterbirds that have been the subject of myth and art and a symbol of beauty and love for centuries. They are admired for their lasting pair bonds and the care both parents give to raising their young.
Longstanding wetland residents
Swans have been on earth for 11 million years – about twice as long as humans. Mute Swans have nested in Ontario for over 65 years, or more than 18 generations.
Accessible Wildlife
Mute Swans are well adapted to urban environments, they are comfortable around people, and they keep other Mute Swans out of their territories, so people come to recognize and know individual birds, and vice versa. We have bonds with swans that are hard to form with any other wild animal.
Vulnerable
Mute Swan eggs are routinely destroyed across Ontario and adults are killed on federal and private property. Research suggests that this is unnecessary and that Mute Swans are scapegoats for human environmental degradation.
Who We Are
The Mute Swan Society is a not-for-profit organization. Our mission is to ensure the well-being of wild Mute Swans in Canada.
We monitor and share research and offer public education. We advocate for the swans’ right to live wild lives. We celebrate their long-standing presence in our wetlands and waterways. We are dedicated to their welfare.