These are all classic behaviors of nesting geese. The female, male, and non-mated offspring all have a part to play every spring. Nesting season begins early March and can continue through late May. Nesting spots can be next to a pond or a half mile away. Geese typically like to nest where approaching predators can be easily spotted. Recent research conducted by the National Wildlife Research Center indicates that relatively low-power, long-wavelength lasers provide an effective means of dispersing geese, gulls, crows, and ravens under low light conditions, while presenting no threat to the animal or the environment Fig.
Although researchers are not sure if birds see the same red spot as people, it is clear that in certain bird species the spot of laser light elicits an avoidance response. The birds view the light as a physical object or predator coming toward them and generally fly away to escape. Note: Lasers should never be aimed in the direction of people, roads, or aircraft.
At the time of writing, the cost of a laser device is still quite high. Check with dealers through the Internet and over the counter at bird-control businesses for current prices and instructions for use. Dogs When directed by a handler, dogs are the method of choice for large open areas such as golf courses, airports, parks, agricultural fields, and corporate parks. In residential areas, parks with continuous public use, areas bisected by roadways, and large water bodies, dog use may not be appropriate.
Results are often immediate. After an aggressive initial use several times a day for one or two weeks , geese get tired of being harassed and will use adjacent areas instead. A dog can be tethered to a long lead which may require relocating the dog and tether frequently to cover more area , be allowed to chase and retrieve a decoy thrown over a large flock of geese, or be periodically released to chase the birds if this is not against leash laws.
While the wolflike gaze of border collies is frightening to geese, these dogs rarely harm them. Other breeds of dogs can also do the job. It is recommended that they be from proven working stock, preferably with prior experience with or exposure to live animals, particularly birds. Chemical Repellents Taste-aversion products and other chemical repellents are unobtrusive, may be applied directly to the problem area, and will not permanently harm the geese. Drawbacks to repellents include the high costs of covering large areas, the need for frequent application in rainy areas and during the growing season, odors associated with the few registered products, and their negative influence on the behavior of other wildlife.
If geese have used the area in the past, apply repellent before their return. Carefully read and follow all label and technical directions. If the above nonlethal control efforts are unsuccessful and the damage situation persists, lethal control may be an option.
Lethal control techniques include legal hunting, shooting out of season by permit, egg destruction by permit, and euthanasia of adults by government officials. Figure 3. The V-shaped flight formation allows each trailing bird to receive lift from the wingtip vortex of the bird in front of it, saving energy and greatly extending the range of a flock of birds over that of a bird flying alone.
Figure 4. Some common displays of Canada geese. Figure 7. Evolutionarily, Canada geese are tundra nesters that prefer to congregate on low vegetation adjacent to open water. Photo by Sunny Walter. Canada geese are not considered to be a significant source of any infectious disease transmittable to humans or domestic animals, although their droppings are increasingly cited as a cause for concern in controlling water quality in municipal lakes and ponds.
Swimmers itch schistosome or cercarial dermatitis is caused by a parasite that can be spread by goose droppings, but does not mature or reproduce in humans. Recommendations to reduce the risk of swimmers itch are to: 1 vigorously towel off immediately upon exiting the water including under bathing suits , and 2 take a soapy shower immediately after exiting the water.
If you do get the itch, a topical rash cream should alleviate some of the itching, and the rash should clear up within a week. If you have concerns or questions, contact a physician. Canada geese are protected under federal and state law and a hunting license and open season are required to hunt them. Where lethal control of Canada geese is necessary outside of hunting seasons, it should be carried out only after the above nonlethal control techniques have proven unsuccessful and only under permits issued by the U.
Fish and Wildlife Service. Currently, the only agency permitted for lethal removal is the U. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Living with Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest. Canada Geese. Facts About Washington State Canada Geese Food and Feeding Habits Canada geese graze while walking on land, and feed on submerged aquatic vegetation by reaching under the water with their long necks.
Wild food plants include pondweed, bulrush, sedge, cattail, horsetail, clover, and grass; agricultural crops include alfalfa, corn, millet, rye, barley, oats, and wheat. Geese also eat some insects, snails, and tadpoles, probably incidentally. Nests and Nest Sites Canada geese nest in areas that are surrounded by or close to water Fig.
Nest sites vary widely and include the shores of cattail and bulrush marshes, the bases of trees, the tops of muskrat lodges and haystacks, and unoccupied nests of eagles, herons, and ospreys. Nests have produced successful broods of geese and ospreys in the same year. Other nest sites include planter boxes and nesting structures provided specifically for geese. A pair of geese may return to the same nest site in consecutive years.
Reproduction Canada geese usually begin nesting at three years of age. Adult pairs usually stay together for life unless one dies. Lone geese will find another mate, generally within the same breeding season. Between one and ten, but normally five to six eggs are laid in the nest in March, April, or May. Eggs are incubated by the goose female while the gander male stands guard nearby. The female leaves the nest only briefly each day to feed. Eggs hatch after 25 to 30 days of incubation. The young, called goslings, can walk, swim, and feed within 24 hours.
Both parents especially the gander vigorously defend the goslings until they are able to fly, which is at about ten weeks. The young geese remain with their family group for about one year. If the nest or eggs are destroyed, geese often re-nest in or near the first nest.
Canada geese can raise one clutch per year. Longevity and Mortality Predators of Canada geese and their eggs include humans, coyotes, raccoons, skunks, bobcats, and foxes, as well as gulls, eagles, crows, ravens, and magpies. Canada geese hatched in urban environments may have very low first-year mortalities due to the abundance of food and relative scarcity of natural predators. Canada geese can live more than 20 years in captivity; in the wild they have a much shorter life span.
Viewing Canada Geese Geese are among the few water birds that will tolerate the environmental conditions found in urban areas. Displays Visit nearly any body of water in a nearby park especially during the breeding period and you will likely observe several obvious visual displays within a large active flock Fig. Nest Sites Early in the breeding season, watch for a pair of geese quietly exploring an area.
If one of the pair dies, the surviving goose will mourn and may eventually find another mate. Canada geese return to the same nesting sites every year. Their nest sites are usually located in an elevated area on an island, on top of a small hill, in bushes, or in a raised area around a lake.
The number of nests in an area varies depending on how aggressive the geese are and how many other couples they allow to nest in the same vicinity. The female creates a nest by making a depression in the ground. She sits and kicks her legs out from her body and turns around to create a mound.
They will back down. One way to avoid geese encounters is to provide a visible barrier, such as snow fencing, between the nest and people. This is especially good if the nest is set up near the entrance to an office or storefront. We have to change our habits and let them be.
It also helps to let tall grass grow around retention ponds to make them less attractive to geese by cutting off their sightlines. A big reason for conflicts between people and geese is that they are both attracted to the same thing.
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