Like many of you, I was interested in learning more about this banded Mute Swan M011, the subject of yesterday’s blog post. It was the first banded wild bird I’ve ever seen – talk about being at the right place at the right time, so this event makes up for my unsuccessful participation in “The Great Backyard Bird Count” last month.
Here’s some information I have gleaned. I was surprised to learn that Ms. Swan has been wearing that neck collar for nearly eight years:
The Mute Swan was captured and neck collared for identification as part of Ph.D. research with Michigan State University. The goal of this research is to understand the movement and survival of Mute Swans in Michigan and is being conducted in partnership with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and USDA-APHIS Wildlife Services. The outcomes of this research will inform management strategies for Mute Swans in Michigan and across the United States.
As part of the research, neck collars were placed on select Mute Swans in several areas of the state during the summer of 2014. They will be continuing to mark and monitor Mute Swans across the state for the next few years.
Mute Swan M011 was captured and banded in August of 2014 about sixty miles from here at St. Clair Flats State Wildlife Area (Harsens Island, Michigan).
There was also a website to submit information on many species of banded birds. It is the Federal Bird Banding Laboratory (a/k/a Patuxent Research Refuge Bird Banding Laboratory), so I filled out the form and their requested criteria about M011 and submitted three photos. For my submission, I will receive a Certificate of Appreciation.
Linda Schaub
WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY 
Well this was interesting. I guess the band does no harm since she has worn it for eight years. That was great that you let the proper people involved in this banding program know where M011 was at the present time. Thanks for this information Linda – this completes the story about this band.
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I thought the info was interesting too Peggy. I’d like to know what material the band is made from – cardboard would disintegrate and plastic might bend or break and cause injury. I was surprised the swan had worn it for eight years.
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Perhaps it is some type of styrofoam with a protective coating. A mystery.
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Yes, I’d like to know too Peggy. Wayne (Tofino Photography) has photographed, then documented the bands on a website with two banded Trumpeter Swans. Wayne said both of the neck bands have fallen off to date.
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Interesting.
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I believe the swan no longer realizes it is there – it is threshold adaptation and is similar to when we get so used to a piece of jewelry / to the point of being desensitized to it ….
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I’m sure you’re right Yvette – it only looked like it was tight on its neck in the one picture. I initially thought the swan had dived and a takeout coffee cup “sleeve” had slid onto its neck. I follow and support a waterfowl rescue and sanctuary site on Facebook and I was already thinking I might be giving Matt a call to aid this swan, the figured it was a cardboard sleeve and would disintegrate.
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Well glad it was not a coffee sleeve and was, in fact, something for science!!
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Me too Yvette and this morning I saw a coffee sleeve on the ground and I realized that would have been way too small to go around the swan’s neck.
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Yes – and would not have lasted (the ones I see are all paper)
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Interesting indeed. I wondered whether it might be the kind of band that eventually fell apart but I guess not. And it looks like it must not bother her over much as she’s been wearing it eight years. Perhaps she’s considered especially cool by her bird friends for having the fancy jewelry. You are especially cool among my people friends for finding out more and reporting her movements. I hope it helps their study.
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I thought the same thing – I figured it would fall apart too, especially since she’s always diving in the water and the water in this Creek is not all that clear. In the Detroit River, it is clear near the shoreline and you can look down into it. You’re right – the other swans might be jealous. Thanks for saying that Zazzy – it was fun to participate and help with their study and imagine how many places this swan has been and people saw or photographed her in the last eight years.
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Congratulations on your contribution to the study! Very interesting.
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Thanks Shelley – it was fun to participate and learn something in the process.
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Yes, that’s the best kind of adventure!
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Thank you very much for the update 🙂
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You’re welcome Anne. I liked finding out the stats on M011 too.
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That’s interesting. It looks so doggone uncomfortable but I guess they adapt.
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I thought it was interesting too Kate. It reminds me of when small scarfs tied around the neck were a big fashion accessory. Sometimes it would get on my nerves, but it went with my outfit, so I endured.
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I never did scarves and still don’t. After menopause, I couldn’t do turtlenecks either. It all feels like strangulation. The scarves get into things like food. I’m too practical.
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I do like turtlenecks, especially for outside in Winter, but they bug me in the house. I feel like I don’t like anything around my face or neck anymore, so I hike my hair up in a high ponytail. Do you remember the velvet chokers with the cameo in the middle that were popular in the early 70s? I can remember thinking “I can’t swallow in this thing!”
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I had one of those cameos. It was my mom’s. I wore turtlenecks all the time until menopause which seemed to put a choker around my neck!
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Back when I worked on site, I had certain “comfy” outfits I’d wear when I anticipated a long day, like filing a big brief for example. Now they do all the filings electronically but briefs that went to the appellate courts had to be bound with special covers and something like 5-6 copies …. all something we had to do because using a service to do that wasn’t allowed as you couldn’t charge the client for it. I hate constricting anything the older I get.
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Thanks for sharing the information with us, and with the research study.
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You’re welcome Eilene.
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That is so cool, Linda. You are helping a swan research project. Way to go!!!
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Thanks Laurie – it was fun to participate and learn about this swan. It fascinated me she had this band for almost eight years already!
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Finding this Swan was great luck for both you and the researchers Linda! I’ve found a few myself and reported them. The neck band does come off after a while.
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Yes, it was interesting to participate in this band identification tracking process Wayne. I remember the last one you posted about the Trumpeters with their numbers on the band.
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Yes,K-18. He has since lost the neck band totally and his mate K-19 lost hers a long time ago.
They would all of course have leg bands.
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I wonder what happened to them Wayne? I’d like to know if they got pulled off somehow or just disintegrated?
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they are designed to degrade and fall off.
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I hope it does – eight years is a long time.
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they do not notice any difference with them on or off. The tag helps track the movements so researchers know where they have been.
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Wow! You’ll get rewarded for participating!
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It — the band — looks excessively big!
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I know it is big and cumbersome Tom, but if you look at the pictures from yesterday, you see how it slides up/down her neck easily. It would appear it constricts her neck, but she was fine eating and diving. I wonder how long it took her to get used to it?
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It might be OK but it sure doesn’t look OK (for a beautiful swan).
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Yes, poor creature – the band mars its beauty doesn’t it?
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That collar looks itchy to me, the way it ruffles up the feathers on her neck. On the other hand, trained ornithologists certainly know more than I about the impact of a collar on a swan! What fun to participate in the study, Linda!
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Yes, I thought that picture makes it look very uncomfortable Nancy … I guess she is okay with it after wearing it for eight years already. I can’t imagine how cumbersome it would be to get used to at the onset though.
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I’m glad I’m not the guy who had to put that band on that swan.
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Me too! I wonder if they have to put some type of muzzle on that beak/bill?
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This is wonderful news. You deserve a Certificate of Appreciation for your efforts. Mute Swan M011 is quite the looker.
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Thank you Ally. It was interesting to see and do the reporting of the sighting. She sure is quite a looker and maybe is considered a prize catch due to the neck ornament. 🙂
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Interesting and thanks for the update Linda
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You’re welcome Andy – I found it interesting too!
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Interesting, well now we know the story! Eight years, boy that’s a long time but yes interesting to know what the material is because as you said, it doesn’t seem to bother her.
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Yes, I was happy to find out her story and amazed she has been wearing this collar for eight years already! I would like to know what type of material it is as I wasn’t thinking of it as permanent and figured it would eventually fall off/disintegrate, but I guess it is permanent.
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It’s such a large band, poor swan!
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I agree and it looks so constricting in some shots.
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Wow, sixty miles is a long way from home for a swan I would think? Or maybe it’s normal?
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I thought it was a long way too Joni. I don’t see swans flying all that much, as opposed to geese which I see in V-formation all the time. Then again that was in 2014 and maybe it looked around before settling on a permanent place to call home – a good place to call home is at Dingell Park where there are a lot of Mute Swans, especially congregating this time of year.
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Swans do migrate, some more so than others. Did the Banding Laboratory tell you where else Mute Swan M011 has been spotted over the past eight years? Congratulations on your Certificate of Appreciation!
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Thanks Barbara – it was fun doing this! No, I have not received the info were M011 has been the last eight years, but it is forthcoming. Here is the message from the Banding Laboratory who acknowledged my info, but I had to send them my photos separately from my report as I got an error message when uploading the three pics:
“Thank you for the photos, I have added them to your report. Unfortunately, we have not received the original banding record from the bander yet. However, as a result of your report, we’ve requested that the bander submit their data as soon as possible. Once they do, your certificate (with the bird’s banding information) will be emailed to you. Thank you for reporting!
Regards,
Kyra Harvey
Bird Banding Lab Staff
U.S. Geological Survey
Eastern Ecological Science Center
Bird Banding Laboratory
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Thanks for the follow up and you Deserve the certificate of appreciation !!
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Thanks Yvette – it was an interesting experience and the banding laboratory is going to find out any reports of sightings of M011 during the past eight years and send it along with the certificate. It was my first banded wild bird.
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😊🙏💕
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Thank you for the info, Linda.🙏❤️💕
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You’re welcome Pam.
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♥️
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How fitting you get to be a part of this research project, Linda! Well done.
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Thanks Dave – it was fun taking part in this research project. The federal banding lab said it might take some time to get back to me with the info on where M011 has been sighted since 2014, but will do so when they e-mail the certificate – they were so appreciative.
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We have seen this swan for years at Kensington Metropark and this year in particular the band is very tight and very concerning. Many, many, many people are concerned about this cumbersome, tight, and non-biodegradable tag. As a Masters Level fisheries and wildlife biologist I know there is no reason to keep this tag on at this point as all the migration data is recorded by now if this band was put on nine years ago. We have photos to corroborate this claim if you’d like us to send it. Please let whomever might remove this tag know that many nature lovers, photographers, and birders are asking them to do the humane thing and remove this tag. We would be happy to assist in this endeavor any time. Thanks for considering this request!
Respectfully, Patrick Bevier, M.S., M. Ed.
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Hello Dr. Bevier: Thank you for your comment. I have more pictures from the day before of Mute Swan M011 and will send them to you in a separate comment in the event you didn’t notice I referenced my post of the day before. In that post you will see more photos of the band on her neck. I initially thought it was a take-out coffee cup sleeve. I follow Michigan Duck Rescue & Sanctuary and would have notified Matt to rescue her. I never heard back about the Certification of Appreciation, so this post was the last contact with anyone regarding this swan’s status. I am far from a scientist or a wildlife expert, but the photos taken the day before alarmed me as well until I saw her drinking and the band moved up and down her neck effortlessly. I don’t like to think the band one year later is constricting her neck. I hope you can contact the authorities for them to capture her and remove the band. This swan was far from Kensington Park at a small park about 2 1/2 miles from the Detroit River. I hope you are successful in having the band removed. – Linda Schaub
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Dr. Bevier – here is the additional post I referenced below.
https://lindaschaubblog.net/2022/03/07/mingling-with-mute-swans-at-council-point-park/
I looked in my notes and my last contact was with Suzanne Peurach, Bird Banding Lab Staff (e-mail:
bandreports@usgs.gov)
She said someone else would reach out to me with more info, but I did not hear back from them.
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