According to the BBC, wildlife experts were stunned to witness a rare “divorce” among a pair of swans. The birds, which normally mate for life, returned to a Gloucestershire wildfowl sanctuary — with different partners. Sanctuary officials hope the birds will resolve their differences on an upcoming Maury Povich.
Photo: Swan Heart by fmc.nikon.d40
LURVE that pic, what a gorgeous pair of divorcees
Hmmm…..Shoulda saved this one for Valentine’s Day?
I swoon for swans.
Oh my, such a beautiful picture and such a sad story. My heart goes out to the mate for life part. There are several wonderful, amazing, heartwarming, examples in my life.
Sweet wishes for everyone
Absolutely beautiful….why can’t humans show this much love towards one another?
now, now… let’s not give ALL humans a bad rap… some humans do show that much love towards each other…
You are…NOT the father!!!
<3 Swans are soo pretty, sucks that most of them are really mean…
National Geographic is jealous of this one!!! Perfection in photography!!
I *heart* you.
Birds necking in the park cygnetfies that Spring is not far away.
Don’t be fooled! This is just a preview to Ultimate Neck-Wrestling in 30 seconds…
260Oakley, do you WORK for a pun shop? My God! LOVE IT.
Poor divorced swans…so beautiful. And yes, it is a shame that they’re pretty mean…
Well I’m having that wedding present back, that I bought them. A combined soap rack spot squeezer and power drill is very hard to come by.
@Oakley: Sheer. Billiance!
What a beautiful pair of swans, great picture!
oh, no, not swan divorce now, too…
~Dan
They were at a party when he ducked out to peck another’s cheek. She cried fowl and molted. (er, bolted.)
TAWDRY!!
[Well, that was a tad wry. - Ed.]
He flew down to Argentina after telling her he was hiking in the Appalacians. Er, no, wait. Wrong story.
Swans are badasses, peeps. Don’t mess with them.
I don’t think that article was about the same type of swan in the photo there. The photo is of a mute swan pair. The article is about Bewick’s swans. If you notice, the bill colors aren’t the same.
Still, beautiful photo. It makes me wonder if that’s where the symbol for a heart came from. Anyone know?
Divorce???? Well, I swan!
oww… all l can say is…
THAT S AMORE…..!!
Love for everyboby….
“Failure to breed” – divorce is better than “off with her head” !
That’s it! IF SWANS CAN’T KEEP UP WITH THE SANCTITY OF MARRIAGE, HOW AM I SUPPOSE TO EVER EXPECT A LONG AND HAPPY LIFE WITH SOMEONE?!
PS: Caps lock is the cruise control to cool. Did you hear?
First it’s that gay penguin who left his life-partner for that hussy, now it’s swans who are apparently having mid-life crises.
I’m waiting to see one cruise by in a red sportscar or run with a pack of geese while they’re “Finding Themselves.”
Divorce? Won’t somebody please think of the cygnets?
[WIN
- Ed.]
And please remember the despondent Dik-Diks.
Check out this story of two widower swans finding each other in the hospital – sweet!
http://www.barnstablepatriot.com/home2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=19988&Itemid=30
It’s nice that they can still see each other socially.
I wonder which one gets to keep the nest? Or do they sell it and split the profits 50/50?
Maury Povich or marriage counseling will resolve soon…we hope the can work their differences out and realize they DO love each other deeply!
I think I see an episode of Springer: Trumpeter Swans Caught in Love Triangle With Whooping Cranes While Dressed as Peacocks at a Penguin Bar-mitzvah!
Love is in the air,
do do de de de deee
The Love Boat – soon will be making another run
@ Editor: commentor + your reply:
Probably the BEST & most Witty AND concise turn of phrase, EVAIR in the history of the English language!!!
(or at least, on CO!!)
[You're a good fan, no question.
- Ed.]
It’s a common misconception, but the swans in the photo aren’t having an intimate moment… the posture of wings and necks here is typical of male-male aggressive interactions in swans.
On another note, while many birds are socially monogamous – i.e. they tend to breed and maintain a social relationship with a particular mate, often until the mate’s death – they also have regular extramarital affairs, so to speak… This goes for swans too, for which genetic studies demonstrate that a female’s brood is commonly fathered by more than one male.
I also recorded a number of ‘break-ups’ (before death of a partner) between pairs of black swans in Melbourne during a year of research there. But Bewick’s swans might be less fickle.
Anyways, cute photo
Is that a Tammy Wynette reference? Awesome.
[We stand by our man. - Ed.]
@Megan C.: The heart symbol doesn’t have anything to do with actual hearts. It was what a extinct seed looked like, that was used in roman times as contraceptive. The jews, who traditionally had the heart as the center of all human emotions, adopted the drawing of the seed and gave it a more wholesome meaning.
GORGEOUS picture, sad story
hi,
these people seems they are made for each other than anything else and why they want a divorce.. nice shot, simply love these swans,what a lovely bird pair.
regards
kerala photos
@Joana: Wow, very awesome. I wasn’t sure what time period the heart symbol came around in– I was thinking of coats of arms in England using the symbol for the heart, hence the question about the swans.
@John: Thanks for ruining the photo.
That’s really interesting. Makes me want to learn more about swan interactions. From the article, it sounds like Bewick’s swans don’t ‘break up’ often. But yes, extra-pair fertilizations occur so incredibly often in bird populations, I start to wonder why birds are considered ‘monogamous’. 
this is true swan love
Maybe they were just swingers!
they are just beautiful and it really stinks that they’re pretty mean