Do swans just leave their eggs unprotected?
@QueenOfEverything I've been wondering the same thing but it's fairly warm out but not overly warm so I'm curious to know if the eggs still have life or not in them because I've never seen a Canada goose do this or a Mallard duck do this there's always one on them
I looked it up and found that swans may briefly leave eggs in a covered nest to get food, but usually swans take turns sitting on the eggs.
One site did say that if predators disturb the nest they’ll abandon the nest. From your photo… it doesn’t look like a nest- more like scattered grass. The swan hiding is unusual…. Could she have been injured? Is there a park authority you could report this to check in case the swan needs help?
@QueenOfEverything No this is not a 100% wild swan persey - this is a Conservatory flower garden with a large man made pond (complete with massive Koi fish) - the swans get moved inside during winter months - they are around public all the time - but this set of Swans is the 1st to actually have eggs together...
@QueenOfEverything https://www.facebook.com/NicholasConservatory/posts/swans-rosie-and-millie-love-their-lagoon-so-much-that-they-have-been-evading-hor/504346785065198/
Swans Rosie and Millie love their lagoon… So much that they have been evading horticulture staff for weeks! Today's snow finally convinced them that it’s time to go to their winter home at Lockwood Park! Capturing the swans in the snow was a first for both Doug and Dan in their long careers at the @rockfordparkdistrict !)