Donegal Daily
  • News
  • Sport
  • Courts
  • Jobs
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Politics
  • Features
  • Donegal County Council News
Sunday 17°CMonday 18°C

Donegal Daily Donegal Daily

sponsor banner
sponsor banner
  • News
  • Sport
  • Courts
  • Jobs
  • Business
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Politics
  • Features
  • Donegal County Council News
Lead StoriesNews

Shocking images show how overhead wires killed 15 swans

written by Stephen Maguire November 11, 2017
FacebookTweetLinkedInPrint

These are the shocking scenes after 15 beautiful swans were electrocuted after they crashed into overhead wires in Carrigans.

The carcasses of the Whooper Swans were found underneath electricity lines close to the village.

BirdWatch Ireland has expressed its concerns at the deaths of the birds.

A member of the public out walking found the birds yesterday.

BirdWatch Ireland staff member Daniel Moloney travelled to the scene, in the company of local National Parks and Wildlife Service ranger Lee McDaid.

They confirmed that the swans had collided with the wires in flight and that the cause of the birds’ deaths was electrocution.

A high proportion of the swans that were killed were juvenile birds, just a few months old.

Another dead Whooper Swan.

It appears that the deaths were the result of multiple separate collisions with the electricity wires over a period of several weeks.

Some of the birds were freshly dead, while others showed varying levels of decomposition, indicating that they had died on various different occasions.

BirdWatch Ireland is very worried that Whooper Swans will continue to be electrocuted at this site in the days and weeks to come unless urgent action is taken.

It has contacted the ESB to inform it of the problem and to recommend that immediate measures be put in place to prevent further collisions.

The wires in question are fitted with “deflectors” which are supposed to make them more visible to flying birds, but evidently these do not appear to be working satisfactorily in this case.

Indeed, several of these deflector devices have been knocked off the wires due to the swan collisions, further reducing the visibility of the wires.

Niall Hatch of BirdWatch Ireland said: “It is very concerning that these migratory Whooper Swans have been electrocuted in Carrigans, especially in such large numbers.

“Ireland hosts internationally important numbers of Whooper Swans each autumn and winter, and it has a special responsibility to conserve and protect them. We sincerely hope that measures can be put in place to prevent further swan deaths as soon as possible.”

Some of the many species of birds in fields at Carrigans.

Shocking images show how overhead wires killed 15 swans was last modified: November 14th, 2017 by Stephen Maguire
FacebookTweetLinkedInPrint

Tags:
Birdwatch IrelandCarriganselectricityWhooper Swanswires
Stephen Maguire

Stephen Maguire is the co-founder of Donegal Daily. He has worked as a reporter for almost 30 years starting locally with the Donegal Peoples Press before moving to the Mirror Group. He continues to contribute daily to national media outlets including the Irish Times, RTE, the Irish Independent, Irish Sun, Irish Mirror, Irish Star, the Daily Mail and the Examiner.

LEAVE A COMMENT

You may also like

Breaking: Young Donegal father tragically killed in...

29 minutes ago

Fine weather to return next week as...

5 hours ago

Seamus Coleman pays respects to Diogo Jota...

6 hours ago

Glenswilly GAA hosting Clubhouse Beats teen disco...

7 hours ago

Ghost is Donegal’s dog in the 2025...

8 hours ago

€1,000 college fees hike a “suckerpunch” for...

8 hours ago

Charles Ward opens first 100% Redress Party...

11 hours ago

Falcarragh Summer Cup launch new memorial cup...

12 hours ago

Letterkenny drug-driver put off the road

12 hours ago

Stunning response to community fundraiser for tragic...

13 hours ago
Advertisement
Advertisement

Donegal County Council

Facebook
Donegal County Council
Advertisement
Advertisement
Donegal Daily Jobs

Read More

  • News
  • Sport
  • Courts
  • Jobs
  • Sales & Services
  • Obituaries
  • Features
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Council News

Information

  • Contact Us
  • About
  • Advertise WIth Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms & Conditions

Our Sites

Donegal Woman
Donegal Woman
Donegal Daily

© 2025 Donegal Daily. All rights reserved.
Website by owenod


Back To Top.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.