This blog may help people explore some of the 'hidden' issues involved in certain media treatments of environmental and scientific issues. Using personal digital images, it's also intended to emphasise seasonal (and other) changes in natural history of the Swansea (South Wales) area. The material should help participants in field-based modules and people generally interested in the natural world. The views are wholly those of the author.
Saturday 18 September 2010
Flights of Fancy?
The report of a Pembrokeshire swan (nicknamed by the press 'Hannibal') being 'hyperaggressive' and attacking (and sometimes killing) other birds raises a number of questions (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-11331964 ). Some of the commentators have even speculated that there must be some contamination in the water to 'cause' this 'abnormal' behaviour. Mute swans (Cygnus olor) are often highly territorial and intolerant of other waterbirds (especially their own species). A Google search will confirm that such behaviour is frequently recorded (see 'the ASBO swan and 'Hissing Sid'). Even atypically maintained swans such as those at Abbotsbury in Dorset are not free of 'swanecidal' behaviour. Territoriality is used by many species as a means of getting access to limited resources (in this case the grass and pondweed around a nesting site in order to breed successfully and to rear offspring. The species clearly shows variability in this characteristic which is actually highly beneficial to the individual, its mate and its progeny. It is humans that object to the bird doing these actions (it's not 'nice' for a 'peaceful' bird to behave this way).
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2 comments:
I hope CCW refuse to issue a licence.
The thinking seems distinctly weird. Yet another example of people judging animals using human norms and values!
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