Mother Swan Gets Shot, Refuses to Abandon Her Eggs

A female swan nesting on the shores of the River Thames near Slough, Berks, was recently shot with an airgun.

Despite the fact that the shot injured the bird's neck, the swan refused to abandon her eggs and continued sitting on top of them. Her mate, however, decided to make a run for it.

Members of the public called in volunteers working with a rescue charity named Swan Lifeline.

These volunteers used canoes to reach the swan, and took both the bird and her eggs under their care.

Veterinarians took care of treating the wound in the swan's neck, and the eggs were placed under a heat lamp and soon hatched, sources say.

The male swan nesting with this brave bird was also found, and the family was reunited.

Once they fully recover, the birds will be allowed to return to their home on the River Thames.