Lakeland’s Royal Swans: How Queen Elizabeth II Brought Them Back to Lake Morton

If you've driven around Lake Morton in downtown Lakeland, you've seen them: big white swans gliding past the library, nesting along the shore, and occasionally stopping traffic. Lakeland calls itself the Swan City, and the story of how the swans got here involves a letter to Buckingham Palace.

The year Lakeland ran out of swans

Swans lived on Lakeland's lakes for decades, including Beulah, Bonny, Hollingsworth, Hunter, Mirror, Wire and, above all, Lake Morton. According to the City of Lakeland, the last one died in 1954. Locals tried to raise money to buy new swans but came up short.

A letter to the Queen

Then a family with Lakeland ties, living in England, wrote to Queen Elizabeth II and asked whether she might part with a pair of swans from the royal flock. She said yes. Two mute swans arrived on Lake Morton in February 1957. Accounts differ on whether it was the 7th, 8th or 9th, but nobody disputes the gift.

Many of the swans you see today descend from that royal pair, along with other breeds the city has added over the years.

The annual swan roundup

As the flock grew, Lakeland started a yearly roundup in 1980. Parks staff gently net the swans from boats, and veterinarians check each bird's health. The city also manages the size of the flock, aiming for roughly 50 swans. In 2023, it sold off dozens of birds to ease overcrowding on the lake.

How to visit

Park on one of the streets around the lake and walk the loop. In late winter and spring you may see nests and cygnets close to the path. Give nesting swans plenty of room. They're beautiful, and they'll defend their young.

Bottom line

Lakeland's swans are a living thank-you note from 1957. Walk the Lake Morton loop at sunrise, bring a camera instead of bread, and you'll see why the city made them its symbol.