Sheriff’s Office investigators have warned Cook County residents not to get to close to the bird-life in the Des Plaines area after a 37-year-old caretaker was harried to death by a large swan.
The man, who has been identified as Anthony Hensley, a married father of two, worked for a company that uses dogs and swans to keep away geese. Investigators believe that the swan attacked Hensley while he was checking the birds by kayak, causing him to capsize and then continued to attack him until he drowned as he attempted to swim to shore.
Swans are known for being territorial and can be quite aggressive when threatened – which is what makes them perfect for driving away geese. A large specimen can stand up to four feet tall, weigh 30 pounds and have a wingspan of up to eight feet.
