Two of our ‘resident’ Mute Swans, Maggie and Magnum, eating away with all of their friends (and visiting mallards) here at the Sanctuary. Mute Swans get a bad rap from a variety of uninformed accusers, for their ‘alleged’ aggressiveness. I have been in the company of swans on many occasions over the years (even so close as to remove a fishing line entangled around one’s legs – previous postings), and I have never felt threatened, even once. They are even gentle around other species as well, as evidenced in this feeding video. In my experiences, they only appear aggressive when challenged or taunted, especially when their Cygnets (offspring) are present. They are very docile creatures and will usually head for the water if danger is eminent. By nature, they are not inherently aggressive, but quite the contrary. The often misleading stories of them attacking people are almost always a result of provocation toward them. We often see them as ‘big babies’ around here, very gentle and serene.