In Ohio, our department of Fish & Wildlife will actively scout out and "addle" the eggs of mutes living out on their own (obviously not owned/cared for on someone's property) so they won't hatch. Close to me, they were actually killing the mutes but I think they now have the population controlled enough to only go after the eggs now.
The reason for this is that mute swans are not native to this area and are crowding out the feeding/nesting areas of the trumpeters which are both native and endangered. This situation has come about due to irresponsible owners who don't pinion the cygnets and then just let them fly away when they are chased off their pond by the parents. The parent swans will not allow them to stay once the next breeding season is about to start.
Please Please to all who are intrigued by swans--don't be one of those owners. While it is intellectually understandable that they cannot be allowed to just reproduce on their own, the thought of them being killed because someone didn't take care of them properly is of course, horrific.
Thank you.
josebeth1