Meet Reggie: The Swan with a Serious Attitude Problem.
In an act reminiscent of the Bard’s own tales of exile and tragedy, a black swan—self-styled terror of Stratford-upon-Avon—has been officially banished from this town, famously connected to William Shakespeare, and relocated a considerable distance away.
The move came after the bird was reported to be ‘terrorizing’ visitors and engaging in assaults on other birds.
According to the Daily Mail, locals have affectionately dubbed the disruptive avian ‘Reggie,’ who has been reportedly tormenting mute swans for the better part of nine months.
The town’s appointed swan warden, Cyril Bennis, described the capture of Reggie—whom he nicknamed Mr. Terminator—as a necessary measure, stating that the swan’s infamous attitude was causing quite a stir.
“It was extraordinary to see how other swans appeared to bow to Reggie as he glided past,” Mr. Bennis told The Telegraph.
For additional context: THE BIRDS – When Alfred Hitchcock’s nightmarish visions are eclipsed by the real-life surfeit of aggressive seagull attacks in Scotland.
The rebellious black swan has been exiled to the Dawlish Waterfowl Centre in Devon—a staggering 150 miles from his original home.
In a nod to Shakespeare, who immortalized the beauty of swans in his works, one can’t help but wonder: have we now written a new tragic chapter?
Unlike the refined creatures celebrated in Shakespeare’s verses, Reggie’s farewell was nothing short of a circus, leaving Mr. Bennis with a few bumps and bruises after getting ‘walloped left, right, and center’ during the capture process.
“Reggie has been causing an enormous amount of trouble lately—especially with his unwanted advances towards a white swan. That kind of mischief is not something I’m willing to allow,” he declared to the Stratford-upon-Avon Herald, determined to put a stop to the interspecies romance.
Further revelations came to light in May 2023 when:
