Meh. Q.E.D.'s post wasn’t even close to Handy-like. Handy would have posted something like “wow they must be strong”. [/hijack]
Yes, another who’s heard this same rumor. I’d say it’s highly unlikely… one of those cases where if you held your arm just right and the bird swung just right - but using those same perfect circumstances most any 25lb animal could break someone’s arm.
I think the beating you’d get from a bird would be limited to bruising and a very severe case of embarassment. A lot of those feathery bastards will fly up in your face and peck for your eyes, and while you’re overwhelmed and covering up the big ones will give you a beating with their wings - they can flap them powerfully enough to lift 25lbs of meat off the ground just from the breeze. But I still can’t help thinking the bird’s arm would break long before yours - but again under those perfect circumstances…
The whole thing could just be meant to caution people from trying to grab a goose/swan and getting a beating and especially a public embarassment. Those birds will put up a much bigger fight than anyone would imagine (assuming they’re fighting for their lives) and you’ll take more punishment than you bargained for, but barring face pecking or flying impacts I doubt they are really dangerous to an adult; especially one who’s ready for them.
I saw a swan nearly drown a big labrador dog once.
Said dog decided it was going to jump in the lake (as is the case with labradors)and chase the said swan.
The swan ddin’t even dignify the dog by so much as appearing to notice it, until the dog was just close enough.
The swan then struck down on the dogs head so hard that the dog disappeared under water for some time before it emerged spluttering for breath.
The dog retreated and fast as it could go, still struggling to breathe.
The swan continued serenely onward, as if it had absentmindedly slapped a small but annoying child down.
If it had wanted to finish off the job with the dog I got the impression it would have been well within its abilities, and not much of an effort either.
I’ve heard this one a lot. Mainly it was when we were rowing, standard practice was, if a swan approached your blades, pull blades in fast - don’t upset the swan. Of course the pulling the blades in fast may have been due to the fact that blades on an eights boat travelling at full speed is likely to injure a swan, which would firstly not be pleasant, and secondly, according to urban myth, be illegal in the UK.
And of course, I fail to answer the question with that anecdote - the reason we weren’t too upset the swans was that upset swan = angry swan = will try and attack you, and you may end up with broken bones. Personally, I think that the blades were more likely to snap.
I have heard this one many times as well. I have always understood that the danger is the speed of the swans “strike” similar to a cobra (this is what I have heard, leave me alone!) powered by their powerful knecks. The break comes from the rapid, forceful strike from the beak. Is what I have heard…
Many thanks for all the research! I get the impression that the wing-against-arm (or leg) attack that seems to form the bulk of received wisdom is highly unlikely; whilst I can’t claim a great deal of medical, ornithological or physics knowledge I’d think that regardless of how strong a set of muscles are, this strength is only so good as the strength of the bones to which they attach - ie a swan’s wing bones would snap if it’s strong muscles exerted too much force against a human adult’s arm or leg.
The beak attack, propelled at high velocity via strong neck muscles and structurally strong vertebrae (compared to long, thin wing bones) that Iteki and others have mentioned appears to me to be slightly more plausible.
I think we can safely say that an angry swan is quite capable of causing a human some damage (either directly or indirectly, eg forcing one to fall etc.) and therefore if telling kids the story about broken adult arms keeps the little treasures from tormenting the swans then this is perhaps for the greater good?
Oh, Angua - re Swans and UK law, according to http://www.rspb.org/birds/guide/m/muteswan/swans_and_the_law.asp - “As native wild birds, swans enjoy statutory protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and it is an offence to intentionally injure, take or kill a wild swan.”
More swan related royal pomp and ceremony info at http://www.rspb.org/birds/guide/m/muteswan/swans_and_humans.asp
Cheers,
Matt