Filial infanticide - Black Swans can get nasty — David Taylor - Master Jeweller

19th October 2026

27th July, 2026. The eggs still not hatched.

In late July I noticed some Black Swans were on the nest. Since then I have been returning almost every week.

Six cygnets were hatched. They spend one day on the nest and then never return to it. At some stage I will create a post showing their growth rate.

I love watching the behaviour of animals and something is happening to this family of 8 as the environment in which they live also alters greatly..

5th of October 2026. Cygnets 2 months old.

On a visit in early October I noticed that one cygnet was missing as the family fed in front of my tent. I thought a wild animal must have taken it.

12th October 2026. The cygnets 2 months and one week old.

When I returned a week later the male was proudly guarding the remaining 5 cygnets.

Just before sunset as I was about to start my campfire I noticed what I thought was a duck swimming in front of my camp in the fading light. As I raised my camera I soon realised it was the 6th cygnet.

The rest of the Swans were at the other end of the billabong and when the male adult started swimming towards it cygnet number 6 quickly left the water.

My wife and I have named cygnet number 6 “Kaoru”. Kaoru was not sure about me being so close and as soon as Dad Swan left to return to the other end of the billabong he/she hid under some branches at the edge of the water.

When I awoke in the morning I searched for Kaoru but could not find him/her. I had to head home so packed up my tent and hoped to find Kaoru next week.

Returning a week later

Adult bird in flight, Wurruma Swamp, November 2020.

Photographers are a weird bunch. The first thing we do whenever we arrive at a location is get our camera out, change to the lens we want and set the aperture, ISO and shutter speed to s suitable starting point for the situation.

As per usual I did that and then set about setting up my tent. Then I heard the unmistakable sound of an adult swan in flight low over the water.

Adult bird landing......

....right on top of it's own cygnet!

I reached for my camera but by the time I got a fix on the Swan it was landing in a huge splash…….which is not their normal landing. I kept taking photos and was lucky I did. I had found Kaoru!

18th October 2026. Kaoru 2 and a half months old.

Kaoru’s father had flown from one end of the billabong to the other to drive him/her from the water. It appears Dad wants Kaoru to starve.

After drying off Kaoru walked right past me to the spot under the branches I had found him/her the week before.

I am not sure how much food is available under those branches but whilst I was present Kaoru soon figured out the he/she was safe and fed…..about 3 to 5 metres from my feet.

18th October 2026. Dad coming to drive Kaoru from the Billabong

Normally when adult Black Swans spot a human they go the other way. With Kaoru’s father the urge to drive Kaoru from the water, the rest of the family and food…is so strong that he constantly approached me and Kaoru for 4 hours straight.

At times he got out of the water and started to walk around the bank of the Billabong thinking he was out of my sight approaching Kaoru from the side.

I figure Kaoru’s father also thought he was driving Kaoru away from food but also into danger (me) by driving him/her from the water.

For four hours Kaoru fed literally at my feet. Whenever Dad approached I stood up and he retreated. Sadly I eventually had to leave Kaoru to set up my tent and start the fire…….Dad returned and drove Kaoru from the water.

In the morning I could not find Kaoru but will search again next week. Black Swans can abandon their cygnets if food sources dry up. They also attack their offspring once they are near adult to force them to find their own domain.

The changing environment - survival

18th October 2026, wet season high water mark on the tree in the background.

You can see from the water mark on the tree in the backgound how much the water has dropped in the billabong since the last wet season. That said, since July the rate at which the water level is dropping seems to have increased.

18th October 2026, another species of bird have abandoned their eggs.

Just weeks ago the nest above from another bird species was in shallow water, now it is high and dry and abandoned with eggs. Perhaps the Swans have likewise abandoned Kaoru because of the drying water and reduced food source…or for some other reason.

Kaoru is two and a half months old and will not be able to fly for another three and a half months. Walking to another water body is not an option. Cygnets usually stay with their parents for 9 months. It is unlikely Kaoru will survive even if the wet season fills the billabong back up :(