In the late 1800s, America imported mute swans to decorate parks and estates; their descendants later damaged wetlands and displaced native waterbirds

Mute swans have long fascinated people with their white plumage and graceful movement across lakes and ponds. That appeal made them popular in paintings and in royal and municipal gardens. The reputation is also why they were introduced to America in the late nineteenth century. According to the study Mute Swans and Their Chesapeake Bay Habitats: Proceedings of a Symposium, mute swans were introduced to North America during the late nineteenth century as ornamental birds for parks, private estates and decorative ponds.

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