Lakeland’s 46th annual swan roundup began on Tuesday, Oct. 6, on Lake Morton. City staff caught and corralled the swans in preparation for their annual exams and vaccines with Dr. Price Dickson and a team from My Pet’s Animal Hospital.
Despite rain on Wednesday morning, locals gathered for the chance to get up close and hold a swan.
“This is the closest that children will be able to get to swans,” said Bob Donahay, Lakeland’s director of parks, recreation and cultural arts. “It really sparks interest, and it shows how important it is in Lakeland.”
“We have 59 swans; that’s our number this year,” Donahay said. Kathryn Kortegast, associate veterinarian at My Pet’s Animal Hospital, said the flock was in good shape.
In the 46 years that Donahay has been a part of the Swan Roundup, he said the city’s program has evolved. In 2026, Donahay said, “We regulate the numbers, probably a little bit better. We’ve had up to 80-85 swans on the lake, which is probably too many.”
Lakeland’s swan program has also become a model for other bigger cities like Orlando. “We’ve made some really good advances in the way we do business,” Donahay said. “We’ve been very successful at it, and we plan on continuing that on.”
This is the last year that Donahay will be involved in the roundup in an official capacity. He will retire on February 2, 2027, after nearly 49 years with the city. Donahay was joined by three generations of his family at Wednesday’s event.
Even though Donahay is set to retire, he said he will still come out for the swan roundup.
“Been doing it for so long and the people that I work with, when you’re here for that long, they become your family,” he said.
Anna Toms is a reporter for LkldNow, a nonprofit newsroom providing independent local news for Lakeland. Read at LkldNow.com.
