Here in the temperate half of Oregon, there are millions of resident geese. They annoy or endanger farmers, golfers, airplanes, and others. How should those folks be thinking about their goose problem, now that it's arrived? And what can they do that is both humane and effective to make the geese go away? -- Charlie Weiss, Portland, Ore.
David Feld, GeesePeace.
Excellent question -- this is a very common problem. In your temperate half of Oregon you have both resident and migratory Canada geese. My suggestion is to let them all be in the winter. During that time, just focus on keeping them away from areas where people are out and about. This is best accomplished by using a community border collie to flush the geese to other areas where no one cares. In the GeesePeace model program, the border collie has a home with a local family; volunteers or community staff take the collie from site to site to keep the geese moving, eventually arriving to a sanctuary or other refuge area. There are plenty of places geese can go where nobody cares. Eventually, the migratory geese will leave on their own. The resident geese will stay, and this is when you implement the complete GeesePeace program. There is more detail on the GeesePeace website.
Are "goose dogs," trained to chase (but not catch) ducks and geese, a humane alternative? -- Annette Dutro, Indianapolis, Ind.
The goose dog is a border collie, trained to herd on voice and hand command. Border collies should only be used when geese can fly. Using a dog against flightless geese and goslings is inhumane and ineffective. The best time to use a border collie is after the nesting season is over, about mid-May. Geese molt in mid-June and are flightless for six weeks, so getting them out before they molt is very important.
A border collie will flush the geese from land to a nearby water body and can continue flushing the geese with the assistance of a boat or kayak from the water. The border collie should be in the boat or kayak when this is being done. The geese then believe that the collie can reach them both on land and in the water, so they will eventually abandon the site for a safer, more secure location to molt.
What do you say to people who claim that when geese are harassed out of one area into another, they simply become a problem for someone else? -- Sharon Pawlak, Medford, N.J.
I say to them, "You're asking the wrong question." And I hear this one a lot. Introducing a border collie to harass geese is actually changing the environment. It makes it a place where the geese don't want to stay or feel safe. There are other ways to change the environment at the site, like draining a pond or building a high-rise. Using a border collie to flush the geese has the same effect, but is more environmentally friendly. Also, there are plenty of places geese can go where they do not cause conflicts with people and recreational facilities.
I've heard that goose poop is "poison" and somehow defiles our drinking water. What's the story here? -- Lee Wallace, Greensboro, N.C.
Goose poop is just digested grass. If there are poisons or dangerous bacteria in the environment and the geese eat it, it will likely show up in the poop. Getting rid of the geese does not change the fact that the poisons were in the environment in the first place.
What are local and federal wildlife agencies doing now that this problem has been put in the spotlight? Also, what is the status of the traditional migratory goose population? -- M.G., Denver, Colo.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has recently passed new regulations [PDF] for managing resident Canada goose populations. The migratory goose population is still recovering.
Some of my earliest and fondest childhood memories involve feeding the ducks and geese at a local park. I know that's an ecological no-no, but I think it helped form the foundation of a lifelong love of the natural world and concern for the environment. I'm curious about your suggestions for good alternative ways to engage little ones in a similar connection with nature and wildlife but without the baggage. -- Christy H., Seattle, Wash.
I'm glad you asked this question. First, thank you for not feeding wildlife. Feeding bread and corn to Canada geese and other waterfowl is like feeding Twinkies to your children -- they will eat it, but a steady diet of it will not be very nutritious. A high-protein diet of corn and bread causes angle wing in young geese. This is a deformity brought on by the feathers growing too fast for the developing bone structure to support.
So what is an alternative way to enjoy the wildlife? How about getting up early in the morning near a lake to watch the geese fly in a V formation, put out their wings in a long glide, and gently land in unison on the water? I'm from the city, where wildlife is a treat. The more I learn about wildlife and their habits and behavior, the more I appreciate them. It is fascinating. For example, if one looks at the pyramids of Egypt, they see pyramids and look in awe at the marvelous accomplishment. On the other hand, if one first studies the pyramids, the construction practices available at that time, and the history, seeing the pyramids takes on an even greater level of appreciation of the accomplishment and its meaning.
Recently I moved near a park with a lake that's home to hundreds of geese. Is there a way to somehow make the flock smaller without having an urban goose hunt? -- Rebecca English, Denver, Colo.
Get the flock out of here.
Photo: iStockphoto
Implement a Canada goose population stabilization program using the protocol developed by the Humane Society of the United States. This will mean no goslings or just a few goslings. Without goslings the adult geese have no biological need to stay at the site and can be encouraged to fly elsewhere to molt. Check with your state wildlife agency on registration and permit requirements, or see the U.S. Fish and Wildlife website for Resident Canada Goose Registration. A border collie is the best way to get geese without goslings to leave the area before the geese molt. Once they are gone you will have a goose-conflict-free environment for the spring, summer, and fall.
We heard that Kool-Aid was an effective solution for goose control but was not currently approved by the FDA for that purpose. Can you tell us anything about that? -- Gale T., Huntington Station, N.Y.
Kool-Aid will not work. You are probably referring to a liquid repellent that smells like grape juice. Repellents like this have only site-specific application. They will only work for a short period of time. They wash off in the rain and must be reapplied after cutting grass. After a while the geese will continue to eat the grass.
Canada geese nest in the landscaping of the parking lots near my work. I always hear coworkers complaining that a goose "went after them" as they were coming in to our building. Do you have any tips for how to keep a goose from chasing a person into a building? -- Annette Dutro, Indianapolis, Ind.
When a goose is nesting close to an entrance or walking path, the gander will defend the nest from anyone who approaches too closely. First try fencing off the nest, leaving an opening for the mother goose and gander to walk in and out. Storm fencing is a good choice. Leave plenty of room around the nest. If that does not work, have a skilled person take down the nest. The goose will rebuild elsewhere. You must register with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to destroy a nest, and state regulations may be more restrictive.
Are Canada geese a federally protected bird in Alabama? I have a friend who says they hunt them almost all year round down south. -- Randy Mize, Birmingham, Ala.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have regulations that limit hunting to only certain times during the year. States may have other limits, but must be more restrictive, not more liberal.
Can you play the didgeridoo? -- Merrilee Cichy, Little Falls, N.J.
I play the wobble board.
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