A family of swans is under police surveillance after locals in a German town have complained that the birds’ insatiable curiosity makes driving dangerous.

German swan family moves into new neighbourhood

A family of two swans and five cygnets living in Limbach-Oberfrohna, Saxony has been put under police surveillance following complaints from locals.

After the swans built a nest near one of the town’s busiest streets, they began exploring their new neighbourhood, and the next day, and the next.

Locals soon became irked. “[T]hey caused one or two traffic obstructions. With a lot of patience and sensitivity, our colleagues kept directing the animals back to their home territory,” a spokesperson from the Zwickau police department explained in a press release.

Police warn swan family could face repercussions

Police in Zwickau have now warned that unless the family brings their swanning-around-town attitude under wraps they could be displaced from their new house.

"If the disturbances do not stop, the possibility of organising a longer-term relocation to a less busy area will be considered," they cautioned.

Thumb image credit: Schwäne Limbach-Oberfrohna / © Polizei Sachsen