Last month, California legislators moved to allow hunters to kill a new species of waterfowl: mute swans. According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), mute swans are native to central Eurasia, where the species was domesticated. In the Golden State, the species is occasionally kept as “aesthetic pets” at private residences and city parks.
However, feral populations of mute swans were first detected in the Suisun and Napa marshes—popular hunting areas near the Bay Area—in a 2007 waterfowl survey. CDFW officials say the species, which is not considered to be migratory, has expanded its range in the state and has grown to an estimated 6,900 birds. Experts say this is bad news for native birds.
“Mute swans are very territorial, aggressive and do not typically intermix with other wintering waterfowl,” reads a CDFW press release. “Mute swans prefer permanent and semi-permanent wetland habitat, feeding primarily on submerged aquatic vegetation. These habitats are limited in California and are essential for many sensitive native species as well as for breeding ducks and other wetland-dependent birds.”
The new bill, AB 764, was introduced to the California Legislature by Republican Jeff Gonzalez and was supported by the California Waterfowl Association. It was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom on October 6. The law will go into effect on January 1, 2026, and will allow licensed hunters and landowners to take and possess mute swans year-round.
“To help prevent or minimize continued spread and establishment of mute swan populations, CDFW needs as much flexibility as possible to lethally remove established populations,” explained California Waterfowl in a letter. “Similar approaches have been taken to remove other nonnative, invasive species such as nutria, starlings, house sparrow, and rock pigeons.”
Once the law takes effect, it will be critical for Golden State hunters to definitively ID mute swans before shooting them, as trumpeter and tundra swans remain closed to hunting. Doing so in the field can prove difficult, particularly on the wing. CDFW created a swan identification chart to help folks correctly determine the species. The main differentiating factor between mute swans and native swans is their bill, which is predominantly orange instead of black. The species is also considered to be less vocal than other swans.