Orlando’s most famous residents are officially off-limits at snack time. As of March 18, the city has rolled out a new no-feeding policy for the beloved swans at Lake Eola, cutting off public handouts in a bid to protect the flock after a deadly bout of avian flu.
City staff says the birds are not going hungry. The swans will still get their meals from park-run floating feeders, while the familiar coin-operated dispensers that once lined the shore have been pulled from service to cut down on crowding and disease risk. New bilingual signs around the lake now politely tell visitors to look, not touch, and admire wildlife from a safe distance.
In an email to Orlando Weekly, city spokesperson Ashley Papagni said the Families, Parks, and Recreation Department “is in the process of developing updated procedures and protocols for the continued care of the swans.” According to the paper, the city will keep feeding the flock using floating feeders while permanently retiring the coin-operated public machines to reduce the number of birds packed into one spot and potentially spread the flu.
What Changed at the Lake
Regulars at Lake Eola may notice a quieter, more hands-off vibe along the shoreline. Park crews have shut down the old coin dispensers and posted fresh signs across the pavilion and pathways, WESH reported. The station said staff are weighing options that include scheduled staff-run feedings and tighter control of shoreline access to keep swans from bunching up in dense clusters that can speed up the spread of disease.
Avian Flu and the Toll
The crackdown on feeding follows a harsh winter for the flock. An avian flu outbreak earlier this year killed a significant portion of the birds at the lake. WFTV reports that 29 mute swans died during the outbreak and that the last swan death was recorded on Jan. 21. Officials told the station they are sticking to health guidance that calls for waiting a full month with no new cases before declaring the outbreak over, while they reassess veterinary oversight and conditions in and around the lake.
How to Visit Safely
If you show up with a bag of bread, the new signs will stop you before the swans do. At Lake Eola, English and Spanish notices urge visitors not to approach birds closely and to stop hand-feeding wildlife, as Orlando Weekly noted. Animal health experts warn that human food can lead to malnutrition and that crowded feeding frenzies can turbocharge disease spread. The Tufts Wildlife Clinic advises enjoying birds from a distance and offering only appropriate feed, and only in places where it is specifically allowed…