Willowbank Swans

General birdwatching discussion, help with bird identification, and all other things relating to wild birds and birding in NZ that don't fit in one of the other forums.
ZionCooper
Posts: 71
Joined: Sat Jun 05, 2021 5:06 pm
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Willowbank Swans

Postby ZionCooper » Wed Apr 20, 2022 8:08 pm

Would the swans at Willowbank be considered wild because they can fly out whenever they please?
SomesBirder
Posts: 1401
Joined: Wed Dec 05, 2012 4:02 pm

Re: Willowbank Swans

Postby SomesBirder » Thu Apr 21, 2022 12:23 am

Any unpinioned free-ranging bird species are at best semi-domestic but I don't think that they are ever tickable.
Ngā Manu in Waikanae had a Mute Swan that died when it flew out and collided with power lines, but I don't think that its being unpinioned made it a wild bird.
andrewcrossland
Posts: 2132
Joined: Mon Dec 14, 2009 2:29 pm
Location: Christchurch

Re: Willowbank Swans

Postby andrewcrossland » Fri Apr 22, 2022 9:06 pm

Long-term, fully wild Mute Swans can be seen at several spots around Lake Ellesmere in Canterbury; as well as from Cooper's Lagoon along the narrow little waterways to the Rakaia Rivermouth, and also on similar waterways between Washdyke lagoon and the Opihi Rivermouth in South Canterbury.

Some pics of these wild birds:

IMG_2238.JPG
IMG_2238.JPG (67.22 KiB) Viewed 942 times


18 June 2018 039.JPG
18 June 2018 039.JPG (385.95 KiB) Viewed 942 times


IMG_1728.JPG
IMG_1728.JPG (542.18 KiB) Viewed 942 times
Byrd
Posts: 825
Joined: Fri Dec 04, 2009 12:53 pm
Location: Wellington

Re: Willowbank Swans

Postby Byrd » Tue May 24, 2022 9:51 pm

ZionCooper wrote:Would the swans at Willowbank be considered wild because they can fly out whenever they please?

Do you mean the Mute Swans by the Fallow Deer, or the Black Swans near the Kiwi House? At both locations they are signed and within enclosures - they are not wild birds.

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