POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Swan nesting season is here, and the city of Lakeland is asking for its residents to be vigilant when it comes to driving through the Lake Morton area.
In the past, the swan breeding ground has lost several of the iconic birds after they were hit by cars. The culprit? It's believed to be distracted driving.
And while every nesting season is special, the city says a very rare occurrence will take place in 2021.
"The lone male Black Neck Swan that lost his mate during nesting season last year has wooed a new mate. This is very rare among swans to not only find a new mate, but also couple with a bird that is not the exact same species," the city wrote on its website.
The male swan and its mate are in the nest-building process. The only downfall is the city says the nest is being built in the exact same spot where his last mate was killed.
That's why they are reminding drivers to stay alert and drive the posted 20 mph speed limit, especially in the area of South Boulevard and Lake Morton Drive.
Grounds Maintenance Supervisor for the City’s Parks & Recreation Department, Steve Platt says the swans pick Lake Morton due to the unused nesting locations. Affectionately known as the "Swanfather," Platt has been taking care of the regal birds for decades and explained why they cross the street frequently.
“The swans nesting in the neighborhood have to waddle their way to the lake for water and food so this makes them very vulnerable when traveling across the busy roadway. Once a female swan lays its eggs, it is roughly a 40-day time period before the eggs start to hatch," he said.
The city is posting signage and display boards notifying drivers that it is swan nesting season and to pay attention.
In 2018, five swans died from their injuries during a three-week period after being hit by cars. Two years later, another three swans died all after being hit during the first two weeks of March.
Lakeland’s current swan population dates back to Queen Elizabeth’s 1950s Royal Flock. At the time, a Lakeland resident living in England wrote a letter to the queen asking if she would donate a pair of swans to the city.
Queen Elizabeth II replied and sent two royal swans to Polk County in February of 1957. Those swans were placed at Lake Morton and as the city says, "the rest is history."
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