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1.) Introduction
Research Question:
How far does the territory of the mute swans in Western pond extend beyond the perimeter of the pond and how do they react to different stimulus inside of their territory?
a. Purpose:
For a semester research project, our Natural Systems class was told to break up into small groups and choose a scientific subject to study. Our group decided to do our study on the Mute Swans located in the Western Pond. At the beginning of the year, two of our group members had noticed that the swans were investigating and even pecking the mirrors of a car parked near the pond. We discussed these events, and came to the realization that all of us in the group think swans are mean. We considered the aggressiveness of Mute Swans to be the most interesting aspect of their behavior. Our group wished to broaden our field of study and decided to include the territorial boundaries of the Mute Swans into our project. Therefore, the purpose of our research is to learn more about the territorial behaviors and boundaries of the mute swans living in Western pond.
Hypothesis: (and predictions)
Our hypothesis is that the territorial boundaries of the Mute Swans are isolated to the banks around Western pond. We do not believe their territory extends past the road\bridge on the West bank, or into the trees on the South bank.
Predictions: We predict that the swans will show threatening displays if we approach them within three feet on land, or three feet in the water.
We think that the swans will be seen by the North and East banks most often. These banks are sunny and the farthest away from pedestrians and cars, making them a perfect spot for the swans to graze during cold fall days.
What do you plan to accomplish?
We plan on getting a better understanding of the behaviors of the swans. Hopefully through our research we can illustrate that swans are usually not aggressive unless they are provoked or feel threatened. Our plan is to relieve some of the fear that people have towards these birds, and show that they are beautiful, and interesting creatures. With this information the students at Miami University will be able to better understand and interact with the swans.
Why is this research interesting to you?
This research is interesting to our group, because we have all been watching the swans for some time. We see them pecking at cars, sticking their heads in the windows, swimming up to students, and sun bathing on the lawn. The swan pond is a nice place to go when you need a break from classes. All of our group members enjoy watching the swans. Swans are interesting birds, because they are beautiful, but not cute and cuddly. They are sometimes aggressive, which makes them exciting to interact with.
We have seen the swans all around western, from the front lawn, to the bridge, to the art museum. We wondered about the boundaries of their territory, and how far they would travel.
2.) Background Information
Introduction to Swans:
The swan is a majestic waterfowl, "recognized as a symbol of elegance and grace in myth and legend" (Mackenzie 1988). Swans are believed to descend from domesticated birds of the medieval era. Although Swans were originally bred for their meat in European nations, artists, such as the famous musician TchaikovskyÍs ballet Swan Lake, have immortalized their beauty. Swans are popular icons, seen in art, dance, fairy tales, ancient legends and even cheesy lawn ornaments. "There are Üarguably- seven different species of swan" (Mackenzie, 1988).
Appearance:
Cygnus olors, commonly referred to as Mute Swans, "are the most common swans in the wild," (Reily, 1968). Mute Swans have white plumage, black webbed feet, a red-orange bill, and a black knob of skin where the bill connects to the head. "This huge swan is one of the heaviest flying birds" (Wikipedia, 2004). They are confused with Trumpeter Swans, because of similarities in appearance and habitat. Strangely, the closest relative to the Mute Swan is actually the Black Swan. The wingspan of the Mute Swan is between 2 and 2.5 meters long, and its' height ranges from 144 to one 158 centimeters. "The two sexes are alike in appearance, except that males are generally larger than females" (Reily, 1968; Terres, 1980). Any Mute Swan weighing over 10 kilograms is probably a male. "Males also have larger black knobs at the base of the bill" (Johnsgard, 1975). A more Baby Mute Swans are "called 'cygnets'" and their coloration is "brown rather than white, and lack the bright red bill" (Wikipedia, 2004). While in the juvenile stage, some brown feathers are still present and the bills are less colorful. Mute Swans stay in the juvenile stage until about one year of age.
Habitat:
Mute Swans "live in well-sheltered bays, open marshes, lakes and ponds" (Reily, 1968; Terres, 1980). In actuality, any body of water that has shallow areas with sufficient food sources for raising cygnets is a suitable habitat for Mute Swans. Mute Swans prefer lakes or ponds that contain small islands suspended by the water. They use these islands, or shallow banks, to build their nests on because these locations are easier to protect from predacious land mammals. The Mute Swan is found naturally "in temperate areas of Europe and Western Asia," but numbers in North America are rising steadily since its introduction. Mute Swans appeared in North America after being released, for ornamental purposes during the nineteenth century, in the Hudson Valley "as a park bird" (Johnsgard, 1975). This species is adaptive to new environments and although they are not natural to North American habitats they have converted them into their own. They adjusted to harsher winters than their natural regions. Subsequently, since Mute Swans are reproducing so well in North American habitats, they are competing with some of the native species of waterfowl for food and territory. "This bird is very aggressive, and has been known to drive off such stubborn and similarly sized species as Canadian Geese and Trumpeter Swans" (Granlund, McPeek, and Adams, 1994). Some wildlife managers consider Mute Swans an invasive species and are making attempts to control the spread of their population in North America to protect the integrity of some of the native species of birds.
Diet and Eating Habits:
"The diet of mute swans consists of aquatic vegetation and small proportions of aquatic insects, fish, and frogs," (Reily, 1968; Terres, 1980). Mute Swans have even been seen eating mollusks on rare occasions. The majority of their diet consists of the leafy parts of the following plants; "pondweeds, musk grass, eelgrass, and green algae" (Johnsgard, 1978). Furthermore, when on land Mute Swans may consume waste grain or other terrestrial grasses. Unlike other waterfowl, species of swans do not dive; they have evolved long necks that they use for grazing on submerged plants under water. "Mute swans can reach underwater foods up to 50 centimeters below the surface by upending," (Johnsgard, 1975). Mute Swans spend a large portion of every day grazing, and "[a] dults eat an average of 8.4 pounds of vegetation per day" (Johnsgard, 1975). In the winter, swans in captivity are feed a good quantity of grains, "but lack of green food results in inferior condition and poor breeding" (Johnsgrad, 1975). Therefore, captive swans are fed lettuce, grass, and other weeds when there are no other plants alive.
Behavior and Territories:
Mute swans have excellent vision and hearing, but they are much less vocal than other species of ducks or swans, hence their name 'Mute' Swan. They make a variety of hissing noises, low-pitched whistles and grunts. In fact, the loudest sound that Mute Swans are known for is the rhythmic beating of their wings while in flight. More applicable than their vocal abilities, is their visual displays of communication. Males arch their backs and puff their secondary wings behind as "a threat display" (Johnsgard, 1975). While defending themselves in the water "the Mute Swan swims using both feet simultaneously, and hits striking blows with its wings" (Johnsgard, 1975). Mute Swans act the most aggressive and protective when defending their nests; they will attack almost anything they feel is threatening their territory. Predation by raccoons and minks to their eggs and cygnets has caused Mute Swans to develop an acute territorial behavior. "Mute Swans set up large territories of 4 to 10 acres, which can include an entire small lake or pond" (Ivory, 2002). Even humans who come too close to Mute Swan nests are frequently approached or attacked. "There are records of them knocking boaters off of jet skis" (Ivory, 2002). Good examples of recorded attacks can be viewed on the shows Worlds Funniest Videos, or Worlds Funniest Animals. During a handful of episodes on these programs, a man will approach a mute swan and receive a violent peck in the groin, as millions of viewers get to laugh at his expense.
Mute Swans in Culture:
In fine art, the Mute Swan has been honored by Western Asia as a symbol of everlasting love. They are considered romantic birds because they are beautiful and graceful creatures, and almost always seen in male/female pairs. The Chinese in particular show great interest in the swan, they appear in almost all of their art pieces. Next time you enter a Chinese buffet or restaurant; try to count the number of Mute Swan paintings that are exhibited. Swans were also depicted during the Renaissance by Leonardo Da Vinci, who used a swan as a symbol of fidelity in his painting Leda with the Swan (1506). Berthe MorisotÍs painting Summers Day (1879) presents the typical art scenario involving Mute Swans. It includes a couple of women on a rowboat out in the middle of a pond; the ladies are wearing beautiful white dresses with Mute Swans floating nearby. Salvador Dali has also used examples of Mute Swans used in his piece Swans Reflecting Elephants (1937). In addition, the ballet, Swan Lake assimilates the movements of swans during sexual courtship.
Partnerships:
Beside their intense territorial behavior, Mute Swans ironically do have a softer side. They are one of the only species that have long-term monogamous relationships. In a study by Clive Minton of continuous partnerships of Mute Swans, in 1968, he found that only 52 divorce events occurred in 492 pairs of Mute Swans. This is a 10.6% divorce rate, 42% of which occurred because of severe weather circumstance (Minton, 1968). A very impressive statistic, considering marriages in America today have over a 50% divorce rate. This experiment shows that Mute Swans are very prone to remain with one partner for the expanse of numerous mating seasons. For the male, a strong protective sense is created through partnerships; itÍs feasible to claim that the swans show affection for one another. These long-term relationships have expressed great success in procreation and viability of offspring. This monogamous style of mating is one of the primary reasons for the increasing number of Mute Swans in North American habitats.
Sexual Behavior:
The sexual behavior of Mute Swans consists of a number of different postures, positions, and actions from both swans in the pair. It becomes a complex dance that varies from threatening displays to graceful synchronized movements. To begin the mating ritual, both the male and female swans conduct a series of threat postures, followed by "mutual calling while Chin-Lifting" (Johnsgard, 1975). Afterwards, there behavioral movements become synchronized in Head-dipping, preening, and up-ending. During the ritual "the wings are held very low, often dragging in the water" (Johnsgard, 1975). Eventually, the male "gradually pushes his neck and body over the female, and after treading the birds call and rise partially out of the water," (Johnsgard, 1975). This is the portion of the mating ritual that is quite fascinating, because both swans actually look like they are attempting to dance on top of the water. As the final stage of this dance the pair, "lowers their bills and turns their heads in unison from side to side, gradually subsiding into the water" (Johnsgard, 1975).
Summary:
Mute Swans are a remarkable and unique species of waterfowl. They are gorgeous creatures, which exude a loveliness that causes passer-bys to have to stop and stare. On the other hand, Mute Swans are definitely formidable adversaries to many land animals, including humans, and they demand respect for their exuberant territorial behavior. Swans represent a perfection of nature; expressing equilibrium between exceptional survival tactics and absolute grace and beauty.
Bibliography of Web sources:
A study in the behavior of swans
-Topic submitted by Amanda Fort, Lauren McGraw, Wendy She
This research compared the differences between the captive trumpeter swans in western pond and those found in the wild. The group monitored three common behaviors in the swans: feeding, grooming, swimming. They broke the class down into four parts to help them collect their research. This group came to the conclusion that the behaviors of the swans in western pond were similar to swans in the wild. They decided that the limited human interactions were not a big impact on the swans.
A study of the behavior of swans
-Topic submitted by Jocie Ellis, Ryan Pearl, Ryan Nootz
This research documented the responses from the swans when introduced to a series of sounds. The reactions were categorized as: aggressiveness, fearfulness, indifference, and other responses. Their research showed that the trumpeter swans were very aggressive towards other animals. However they seemed indifferent to the human noises.
Animal Diversity
Ivory, Alicia. (2004) Cygnus Olor. Retrieved September 12, 2004, from Animal Diversity Web.
Gives Class, Genus and binomial name, habitat physical description, reproduction, and many other useful information.
Mute Swan
Mute Swan. Retrieved September 12, 2004, from 2004.
Talks about feeding habits and general information that will benefit our project. We will be able to use this to get background information that will give the reader some perspective before they plunge into our experiments.
How does research relate to larger question? Our research relates to all animals that have adapted their behaviors and territory to predation in their habitat. The territory and behavior of these swans affects the entire pond area. The swans scare off the majority of other birds, and small predators. This changes the ecology of surrounding areas.
Bibliography:
1.)
Black, Jeffrey M. (1996). Partnerships in Birds: The Study of Monogamy. (pp. 120-136). Oxford, England: The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust
Describes the monogamous relationships that swans have and how "divorce" is very unusual. It talks about the breeding and nurturing habits. It also gives good charts and graphs that will be beneficial to our report.
2.)
Delacour, Jean Theodore. (1954). The Waterfowl of the world: Volume One. (pp. 52, 63-7) London, England: Country Life Limited.
Talks about feeding and what is needed to rear offspring gives in depth characteristics of the male and female as well as the immature and eggs. Good information about feedings result on breeding. This could be a part of our project because this may be the reason that our swans haven't successfully
3.)
Johnsgard, Paul A. (1965). Handbook of waterfowl behavior. (pp. 24-7). Nebraska: University of Nebraska Cornstock Publication Association a division of Cornell University Press.
Gives good description for identifying mute swans and also gives diagrams of positions that swans and what that position indicates. Allows us to identify which swan type is ours. The diagrams that depict the position that swans are in that indicate their mood is very good because then we can read them better.
4.)
Johnsgard, Paul A. (1975) Waterfowl of North America. (pp. 63-71). Indiana: Indiana University Press
5.)
Johnsgard, Paul A. (1978). Ducks, Geese, & Swans of the World. Nebraska: University of Nebraska Cornstock Publication Association a division of Cornell University Press.
Gives description of measurements, habitat, and social behavior. Gives distinguishement between the male and female swans. This will come in handy when we need to figure out which swan is the male and which one is the female.
6.)
MacKenzie, John P.S. (1988). Birds of the World: Waterfowl. Toronto, Canada: NorthWord Press, Inc.
This book talks of all the different types of waterfowl, which are the birds that live near water. It has a good section on mute swans so we can use it to give the reader of our lab report more information on our swans
7.)
Meanley, Brooke (1982). Waterfowl of the Chesapeake Bay Country. (page 12). Centreville, Maryland: Tidewater Publishers
Gives good background information on swans and talks about where they live and how they got there. Even though this is information relating to the ones in Chesapeake Bay Country it still gives us a good idea of how the ones in our pond will behave.
8.)
National Geographic Society (November 1, 2002). National Geographic Field Guide To The Birds Of North America, 4th Edition. National Geographic Press
Great field guide for identifying and getting general information on the birds. This book provided the basic maps of migration patterns (even though ours don't migrate because their wings are clipped) and the breeding information and other good information.
3.) Research Design:
Experimental Design:
On a daily basis we will go down to the pond to record data on the swans. We will take qualitative data in the location portion on our data sheet, using the sections of the banks that we have marked on our map. The averages from our data will be made into maps and graphs that we will include in our final report. We will also do experiments to test the aggression levels in the swans, when an intruder invades their territory. We will do this by setting a mirror within their territorial boundaries, and watching the swanÍs reactions. We predict that their reflection will confuse the swans into thinking that there is an intruder. They should show physical signs of aggression at this point. We are going to use the I-movie program on one of our laptops to record this experiment. This will also be added to our final report. The video will show the different signs of aggression that the swans exhibit. We will also experiment with walking up to the swans. We will test how close we can approach, while the swans feel comfortable. When we walk up to them we will watch to see if they stop what they are doing. We will approach until they take an aggressive position. This point will be considered the safe distance to approach the mute swans.
Our experimental techniques are designed to answer our research questions completely. Our data sheet and graphs will tell us the boundaries of the swanÍs territory and where they spend the most time. The experiment with the mirror will show us how the swans react to predators and other birds. When we approach the swans we will find out about how territorial and aggressive they are.
Measuring:
Our group will be measuring the territory of the swans by recording where their time is mostly spent. This will show the locations of the swans in average and will give us a general indication of where their boundary lines are.
a. Interview:with grounds keeper
The grounds keepers that take care of the swans provided us with general care information. We learned from them that the swans are self-sufficient in the spring and summer months. In the fall and winter the birds are monitored and their diet is supplemented with cracked corn.
4.) Materials and Methods
a. Materials:
b. Digital camera (w\ audio recording capabilities) to take pictures of the swans and their habitat. We will also collect samples of the sounds that the swans make.
c. Scanner to copy maps and pictures onto computer
d. Maps of Miami University (Including Western Pond)
e. Photoshop to create maps and crop pictures
f. Data sheet
g. Imovie program to record experiments
h. Laptop to use imovie and Photoshop
b. Class Participation:
We will present a description of our project to the class using visual aids. We are asking the class to go over to the pond at least two times a week and record data for our group. We will be posting a data sheet online that the class can use. They will be responsible for recording: the date, time, location, weather, and if the swans are together. We will add this data to our group data sheet, so that we will have a large amount of data. The data from the class will be from random times, helping us to round out our data.
c. Swan Watch : Data Sheet:
Date Time Location Weather Together?
After collecting a series of data using the Swan Watch table, we will create a graph that shows where the swans spend the majority of their time during the morning, afternoon, and night.
d. Research Timeline:
9\12: Collected five online sources
9\14: Posted research idea
9\29: Group meeting to discuss methods
9\30: In class discussion on project ideas\ group (pond-swan) observation
10\3: Proposal Outline
10\4: (7:00-11:30pm) Information session at Brill Science library
10\5: (2:10-5:00) Group study session-Pictures taken, Sound recorded, Bibliography,
Background information (intro), brainstorming ideas on how to arrange visual aids (graphs, videos, pictures), swan observation\interaction
(6:00-8:30) Background information Üdiet, breeding, behavior\territory, culture, pictures collected (Art), swan lake song
10\6: (5:30-10:00)Organized information, finalized proposal (Draft 1\Draft 2)
10\7:(3:00-5:30)Proposal (Draft 3) worked on adding pictures, hotlinks, and text formatting
10\7: Proposal Due
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