What Every Property Owner/Manager Needs to Know About Geese

What Every Property Owner/Manager Needs to Know About Geese

Goose Facts Infographic

If you own or manage any type of structure or property, there are some facts you need to know about geese to prevent these large birds from damaging your property.

Geese love to gather around lakeshores, ponds, golf courses, sports fields and any dwellings that happen to be near them. The birds prefer nesting sites on elevated, secluded areas near bodies of water. They will return to the area of their birth each year to mate and nest. Nesting season is mid March to May, so the time to implement proactive deterrents/repellents is now.

Most Geese have a wide wingspan (up to 75 inches), which allows them to fly up to 1,500 miles in a single day.  When migrating, they will “pond hop” and forage for food. This can be very destructive to plants and property, as mature Canada geese can weigh up to 14 pounds. They can quickly denude and trample green vegetation, grasses and aquatic plants, leaving large amounts of droppings in their wake.

In urban areas, geese will pick food off streets, out of garbage cans, and damage crops and fouling pastures with their waste. A recent study revealed that wild geese may carry the H5N1 bird flu virus on their wings. The study combined GPS tracking data, outbreak records, and genetic analyses of the virus to show that H5N1 (a highly pathogenic influenza virus) has migrated from Asia to the rest of the world.

Canada geese live around 10-25 years on average in the wild. Baby geese, called goslings will follow virtually anything that moves—dogs, ducks, and humans. This can be a problem for small children and dogs who may be naturally attracted to the birds, for Canada geese will violently attack anything that they sense as a threat to their goslings, including humans.

Geese are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, which makes it illegal to intentionally capture, kill or disrupt these birds or their nests and eggs. This law and others like it impose costly penalties for anyone who disturbs nests, hatchlings, or harms the birds in any way. The good news is that property owners/managers can avoid these problems by installing humane bird deterrents before geese arrive.

Bird B Gone is the world’s largest manufacturer and distributor of bird control products, providing effective and humane solutions to a bird-free environment. The company provides advice; training and installation services for those who need help with these and other bird control measures. For the complete line of products from Bird B Gone, call 1-800-392-6915; fax: 949-472-3116 or visit our website at www.birdbgone.com, e-mail: nobirds@birdbgone.com.

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