Page 3 | Are Swans being unreasonable?

Glittercloud17 · 2025-03-14T22:23:23+00:00

Genuine question: Are Swans Being Unreasonable? Has anyone ever actually had their arm broken by a swan? It’s something we have all said at some point, but has it ever actually happened to you or anyone you know? 🦢

madaffodil · 15/03/2025 10:38

Let's be honest - a swift kick like that could break your jaw, never mind your arm.

CarterBeatsTheDevil · 15/03/2025 10:25

Velmy · 15/03/2025 09:32

There used to be a swan in Cambridge called Mr ASBO.

He was constantly being unreasonable. They'd always move him along up the river, but he'd come back to cause more trouble every time.

I THINK THE SWAN MY FRIEND BOLLOCKED WAS MR ASBO

*The all caps was a deliberate decision to convey my wild excitement

Arglefraster · 15/03/2025 09:52

Swans ABVU
just try turning an eight in a tight turning pool & getting it between the swans & the cygnets- they charge the boat & aim for the unarmed cox!

BetterWithPockets · 15/03/2025 09:50

corlan · 14/03/2025 22:58

Swans can be total bastards. I stopped one trying to drown a gosling by flailing my belt at it - it was pretty intent on murder.A guy came up to help me and told me that the same swan had drowned one of it's offspring earlier that summer.

I’ve also seen a swan trying to drown goslings before. A man waded into the pond and tried to intervene by hitting the swan with a bunch of flowers he happened to have…

Treesarenotforeating · 15/03/2025 09:42

I’ve never tried grabbing one so 🤷‍♂️

LonelyLeveret · 15/03/2025 09:37

CrocsNotDocs · 15/03/2025 02:03

One of the fuckers stole my sandwich at Stratford-Upon-Avon. I was a poor Aussie student on a cheap-arse bus tour where they didn’t feed us enough and I had spent my day’s budget on this marvellous Enid Blyton-esque sandwich. Fucker.

How traumatic. I think I'd emotionally recover better having my arm broken by a swan. This post alone confirms that swans are indeed unreasonable.

Velmy · 15/03/2025 09:32

There used to be a swan in Cambridge called Mr ASBO.

He was constantly being unreasonable. They'd always move him along up the river, but he'd come back to cause more trouble every time.

florizel13 · 15/03/2025 09:30

I have to push my way through hoards of swans and geese who line the footpath by the river first thing in the morning. They flap at me, but haven’t so far broken my arm!

Hoppinggreen · 15/03/2025 09:27

MargaretThursday · 14/03/2025 22:33

That's a goose not a swan, surely?

When I was at uni One of the lads had his arm broken by a swan when he was rowing. The boat for between the swan and its cygnets. He was pretty shocked by it.

Did it have a baseball bat?
They look big but its mostly all feathers and couldn't break anything.
Thye can give you a nasty nibble but they are mostly noise

girlwhowearsglasses · 15/03/2025 09:23

Somethingthecatdraggedin7 · 15/03/2025 07:15

I always remember this from Adrian Mole. Anyone else?

That must be it! It’s been an in joke in our family since the eighties.

Iknowaboutpopular · 15/03/2025 09:22

I have family stories about swans, passed on through generations.

Apparently when my uncle was a wee lad a disgruntled swan took the skin off the back of his legs. He was 3.

When my mum was young an auntie had to fight off a swan with an umbrella so the same thing didn't happen to her.

As a teen, my dad took an impromptu dip in the canal after a swan knocked him off his bike as he cycled along the tow path.

If all that is to be believed, swans are horribly unreasonable buggers.

I did Google whether a swan can break your arm and apparently it's a yes, they can if their wings are at full spread and velocity.

maggiecate · 15/03/2025 09:21

Phase2 · 15/03/2025 09:08

Aw I have seen this before he is such a lovely chap, what happened?

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He passed away from lung cancer last year

ConnieHeart · 15/03/2025 09:14

Haveanaiceday · 14/03/2025 23:56

Another well known fact about swans is they all belong to Her late Majesty The Queen.

Obviously not any more. King Charles III now

TheCurious0range · 15/03/2025 09:13

Not a broken arm but I have a triangular scar on the side of my knee from a swan, one chased and attacked me with its break when I was a fairly young child because I'd been feeding the ducks/swans at the park ran out of bread turned to run back to parents to get more but it was angry chased me pecked me and grabbed my leg with it's beak. It was pretty scary.

pinkstripeycat · 15/03/2025 09:10

I’ve seen nature programmes where they’ve said it’s not a thing at all. They physically can’t break your arm with their wings.

Swans are more likely to snap with their beaks.

BatchCookBabe · 15/03/2025 09:09

CarterBeatsTheDevil · 15/03/2025 08:59

Swans are all talk. A friend of mine once gave a bolshy swan by a busy riverside a massive (verbal) bollocking and it ran off and hid behind a tree. It stayed there all afternoon, occasionally peeking out to glare at my friend when it thought he wasn't looking, but retreating sharpish if it caught his eye. Didn't even try to break his arm. Gutless.

Edited

😂

Phase2 · 15/03/2025 09:08

maggiecate · 14/03/2025 23:49

They can give you a good wallop. The much-missed Simon from Wildlife Aid Foundation got thumped by one when he was rescuing its cygnet

Aw I have seen this before he is such a lovely chap, what happened?

CarterBeatsTheDevil · 15/03/2025 08:59

Swans are all talk. A friend of mine once gave a bolshy swan by a busy riverside a massive (verbal) bollocking and it ran off and hid behind a tree. It stayed there all afternoon, occasionally peeking out to glare at my friend when it thought he wasn't looking, but retreating sharpish if it caught his eye. Didn't even try to break his arm. Gutless.

AlertCat · 15/03/2025 08:49

Swans are unreasonable. I was sitting on a narrowboat once, on the front bit, reading my book, quietly minding my business, and a swan came up and bit me on the arm. Out of nowhere. Then it hissed at me as if I had threatened it.

Also they drown each other, that’s pretty unreasonable. So yeah, they might not break your arm but they are bastards anyway.

Snugglemonkey · 15/03/2025 08:45

TooBigForMyBoots · 14/03/2025 22:37

Swans are always unreasonable. Fortunately they're easily avoided@Glittercloud17.🦢 Geese are only sometimes unreasonable but if they lose it, you're fucked.🪿😵🪿

Edited

The geese in our local park are always unreasonable. They surround small people trying to feed ducks and tried to pull dc 1 into the water by pulling the toggle on his wee duffle coat. We try to stay well clear.

Chuchoter · 15/03/2025 08:41

www.thedodo.com/videos/man-befriends-swan-and-takes-him-everywhere-he-goes

Rigó and Totó have been best friends ever since the day Totó hatched. And now that Totó's grown, they go on exciting adventures all over town... some of their favorite places might surprise you!

Dreamskies · 15/03/2025 08:41

QueenOfHiraeth · 15/03/2025 00:21

Geese are not cute and funny I have been bitten by one, totally unprovoked and very traumatic.
Never had my arm broken by a swan though

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😂😂 they have such pathetic bites though!

unsync · 15/03/2025 08:38

BitOutOfPractice · 15/03/2025 07:53

I’d love to see the difference between your threatening and non threatening swimming. And you Say you try to appear non threatening. Does that mean you are threatening? I think the swans are right to be wary of you! 😉

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LOL Non threatening is a euphemism for swimming in the other direction or hiding in the reeds!!

GarabostGal · 15/03/2025 08:14

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Amethystanddiamonds · 15/03/2025 08:13

I was attacked by a swan with young when feeding the ducks as a toddler. It knocked me over and it was clearly very scary as it's one of my earliest memories. My mum was injured getting me away but no broken limbs. I didn't break my arm until a few years later. Although that was in the park after feeding the swans. So I could indirectly blame them......