IL - Swan attacks, kills man in kayak.

[Icymudpuppy]

He's in my industry. Wildlife Damage Management. Goose control is a big deal and one of the most lucrative wildlife management contracts a person can get. Swans are protected, and if he killed it or injured it, he could lose his license to work in the field of wildlife control which is probably why he didn't fight back. How unfortunate.

 

[oyarde]

Shush you! That'll be the next federal mandate.

, I believe in NO mandates , but do believe in personal responsibility . When I was a young broke ass guy , I kept up the life ins even when I could not afford TV , haircuts , newspapers etc.

 

[Rothbardian Girl]

Wait wut?

Swans have teeth?

They have ridges in the beak that are like teeth. They're very small, but you can see them as blackish triangles below the top part of the bill in this picture:

Doesn't look very threatening, but I can understand how it would hurt if they clamped down on you, I guess.
edit: Sorry for huge image. :o

 

[phill4paul]

Yup, they do. Most birds don't but swan have tiny little teeth which are fucking sharp. They're used for chewing up fish.

IBD'd. Nasty buggers they.

 

[oyarde]

Even geese and ducks have a ridge that can grip and hurt , claws too . I have seen some beat downs , the swans are much larger , being in the water , away from the boat could become a problem in a hurry.

 

[Acala]

If I am ever killed by a swan I want my tombstone to proclaim it in BIG letters: Killed by a M______ F______ SWAN! Oh the Humanity!

 

[phill4paul]

He's in my industry. Wildlife Damage Management. Goose control is a big deal and one of the most lucrative wildlife management contracts a person can get. Swans are protected, and if he killed it or injured it, he could lose his license to work in the field of wildlife control which is probably why he didn't fight back. How unfortunate.

That may well explain it. If it came down to me and a swan though I'd have taken my chances.

 

[JebSanderson]

If I am ever killed by a swan I want my tombstone to proclaim it in BIG letters: Killed by a M______ F______ SWAN! Oh the Humanity!

Duly noted.

Might want to add it to your last will and testament though to make sure it's respected. And make sure to spell it out clearly, imagine if someone accidentally carves your tombstone with "Killed F****ing a mother Swan". That would be a horrible, yet hilarious, way to be remembered.

 

[tfurrh]

water fowl are kind of brutal....have you guys ever heard of Flight Rape (ducks & geese)?

 

[JebSanderson]

water fowl are kind of brutal....have you guys ever heard of Flight Rape (ducks & geese)?

WTF

When they pair off with mating partners, often one or several drakes end up "left out". This group sometimes targets an isolated female duck, even one of a different species, and proceeds to chase and peck at her until she weakens, at which point the males take turns copulating with the female. Lebret (1961) calls this behaviour "Attempted Rape Flight" and Cramp & Simmons (1977) speak of "rape-intent flights".

Male Mallards also occasionally chase other male ducks of a different species, and even each other, in the same way. In one documented case of "homosexual necrophilia", a male Mallard copulated with another male he was chasing after the chased male died upon flying into a glass window.

 

[brushfire]

In all seriousness, Saturday was pretty windy, cool, and rainy as I recall. Also, not sure the depth of the pond, but I would not be surprised the water temp was below 50 degrees.
Also, swans are actually desirable, and are transplanted or encouraged to inhabit areas where Canada geese are not wanted. Swans are highly aggressive to other birds and not viewed as pests like the Canada geese are.
That said, the unfortunate fella probably had something to do with why the swan was there to begin with, or did not want to discourage it from inhabiting the pond. Its possible that the man's clothing, and water temp had more to do with his demise than the swan, but who knows...

 

[Anti Federalist]

He's in my industry. Wildlife Damage Management. Goose control is a big deal and one of the most lucrative wildlife management contracts a person can get. Swans are protected, and if he killed it or injured it, he could lose his license to work in the field of wildlife control which is probably why he didn't fight back. How unfortunate.

Ah, that explains a lot.

Government yet again.

One of the reasons commercial fishing is as dangerous as it is, are regulations.

 

[Anti Federalist]

In all seriousness, Saturday was pretty windy, cool, and rainy as I recall. Also, not sure the depth of the pond, but I would not be surprised the water temp was below 50 degrees.
Also, swans are actually desirable, and are transplanted or encouraged to inhabit areas where Canada geese are not wanted. Swans are highly aggressive to other birds and not viewed as pests like the Canada geese are.
That said, the unfortunate fella probably had something to do with why the swan was there to begin with, or did not want to discourage it from inhabiting the pond. Its possible that the man's clothing, and water temp had more to do with his demise than the swan, but who knows...

I was thinking that as well.

Even 50 degree water will kill you in a relatively short time.

 

[Anti Federalist]

Yup, they do. Most birds don't but swan have tiny little "teeth" which are fucking sharp. They're used for chewing up fish. They're not teeth like we have though, they're actually ridges on their beak which can't fall out like real teeth. They're still sharp though! My ex's brother got bit in the leg and he still has a scar from it even though it was about 15 years ago.

They have ridges in the beak that are like teeth. They're very small, but you can see them as blackish triangles below the top part of the bill in this picture:
Doesn't look very threatening, but I can understand how it would hurt if they clamped down on you, I guess.
edit: Sorry for huge image. :o

Ah, got it, they do look sharp.

I've shot a lot of waterfowl over the years, but I never really looked all that closely at swans.

I figured they had a duck bill type of beak.

 

[tfurrh]

Yeah, I'd hate to see the headlight if it were a flock of lonely ducks instead of a swan.

When they pair off with mating partners, often one or several drakes end up "left out". This group sometimes targets an isolated female duck, even one of a different species, and proceeds to chase and peck at her until she weakens, at which point the males take turns copulating with the female. Lebret (1961) calls this behaviour "Attempted Rape Flight" and Cramp & Simmons (1977) speak of "rape-intent flights".

Male Mallards also occasionally chase other male ducks of a different species, and even each other, in the same way. In one documented case of "homosexual necrophilia", a male Mallard copulated with another male he was chasing after the chased male died upon flying into a glass window.

 

[specsaregood]

Swan , roasted over an open fire on a cold evening after nothing to eat all day , is very tasty .

I'd eat some swan.

Hensley was unable to beat off the swan.

don't think I'd do that though.

 

[WilliamC]

Does Nassim Taleb have an alibi?

Just asking...

 

[JebSanderson]

I'd eat some swan.

Swan doesn't taste very good. It's very tough and has a strange taste that I find to be a mixture of fish and game with a hint of mud.

 

[JebSanderson]

Interesting fact:

All wild swans in the UK are property of the Crown.

 

[specsaregood]

Swan doesn't taste very good. It's very tough and has a strange taste that I find to be a mixture of fish and game with a hint of mud.

Exactly what I would tell people if i had discovered the world's tastiest meat and didn't want to share.