The Aurora swan that had to be rescued after suffering angel wing syndrome “will never fly,” according to the wildlife refuge treating it.
The trumpeter swan was taken from the Aurora Community Arboretum to the Shades of Hope in Pefferlaw, a wildlife refuge where it has been receiving treatment. The swan's bent wing has been being treated for weeks, with staff there binding the wing, with the aim of straightening it.
The swan is still alive, but has not made a full recovery.
Angel wing syndrome is a condition that twists the last joint of the bird's wing, making the flight feathers point outwards, which prevents the swan from flying. Other waterfowl like geese and ducks can also suffer from the condition.
Angel wing syndrome is rarely curable in young cygnets, and incurable in adult birds.
“This bird will never fly,” said Kate Purvis, wildlife rehabilitation director at Shades of Hope.
The hope is to find the swan a placement as an ambassador for an educational program, that may conduct school visits, or another program, akin to a zoo. That all depends on government approval, and assessments on how the bird would react to a life in captivity, according to Purvis, but the bird cannot be fostered.
“The facility has to be able to keep them safe,” said Purvis. “It can’t just be on somebody’s pond in their backyard, because the bird can’t get away from a predator.”
Angel wing syndrome is commonly caused by birds being overfed by humans, preventing swans from getting the necessary nutrition it needs to grow healthily.
“Unfortunately for this little guy, it was just too late,” she said. “If we get them at the very first sign, we have a very good success rate of fixing it. But after a certain age, and a certain development of the bone, then it becomes too late.”
