Die Mute Swan, DIE!

There's a news item in the Ludington Daily News today about the shooting of a Trumpeter Swan in Custer Township. Trumpeter Swans are on the State Endangered Species list and this particular swan had been released on Lost Lake from a captive breeding program in 1994.



Now I'm going to get on my soapbox so brace yourselves.


Listen, people, if you feel like being a destructive honky, at least do the world a favor and shoot a MUTE swan, not a Trumpeter. Trumpeter swans are a native species that have very different personalities from their mute and invasive cousins. Mute swans were imported to the United States in the 19th century to grace private gardens and parks. They are highly aggressive, often attacking and killing other fowl that attempt to nest in their territory. Mute swans take over small ecosystems very quickly (drive out to Lincoln Lake north of Ludington to get a clearer idea of this). They drive other species out of the area, their poo contaminates the water, and while pretty, they're just generally jerks.


Trumpeter swans on the other hand, mostly stay away from humans. They're native to Michigan and they don't attack other fowl in their nesting areas. Also, their breeding and communal habits mean that they won't take over a small ecosystem like Mute Swans do. Because their numbers aren't usually concentrated in small areas, their poo doesn't become concentrated in the water, stagnating and killing it.


Here's how to tell the difference.


Mute Swans (bad): They're the ones with orange bills. They are usually slightly larger and much more aggressive. They're the ones hissing at you as you canoe past their nests or bully the ducks when you try feed them breadcrumbs. Here's what they look like:

Trumpeter Swans (good): They're similar but have an all black bill. They are much more rare and shy so if you see one, consider yourself lucky. Also, they make noise (hence the name) which can often be heard in the spring as they migrate and begin to mate. Here's what they look like:

On a related note, I think it's really interesting what we choose to label invasive and what we choose to value. People think I'm some kind of barbarian for advocating hunting of mute swans (or at least management). Many people react negatively when I explain the bumpersticker on my car which reads 'Die Mute Swan, Die' but they would never react that way if my car sported a sticker reading 'Die Lamprey, Die' even though both species have a similar impact on the Michigan ecosystem. The simple difference is that swans are pretty, lamprey are not. Swans have a plethora of romatic association tied to them, lampreys do not. This comparison could also be extended to Salmon which, sorry folks, are not a native species either but are not considered invasive because they stimulate the economy and we like to eat them. What's the difference between a zebra mussel and a Coho? Not much, except that one species is tasty and the other is not. One stimulates the tourist and fishing industry and the other does not.

If you want to read more about Mute Swans click here.

If you want to read more about Trumpeter Swans click here.

Don't Shoot a Swan! from the DNR

Anyone with information about the shooting in Custer Township can call the DNR Poaching hotline at (800) 292-7800

Lastly, if anyone wants a 'Die Mute Swan, Die' bumpersticker, I have extras.