Learning to Live with Resident Canada Geese

Many challenges to Canada Goose Management were induced by human action:

Low Abundance of Natural Predators.

Edge habitat increases healthy breeding habitat.

Geese tolerate urban disturbances.

Life expectancy increased in urban areas.

High reproduction and offspring survival rates.

Molting season runs from early June to late July.

Abundant food sources.

Many geese became non-migratory and recruit additional non-migrants.

Management tactics generally must be implemented in conjunction with one and other, as they rarely work alone.  Often times certain products are advertised as a cure-all for removal of Canada geese, however, these produces are generally ineffective.  Below is a list of just some of the many management tactics:

-Exclusion: Using fencing or other methods to keep geese out of the target area.

- Habitat Modification: Altering the area so that it is no longer appealing to geese, often through flora modification.

- Human Behavior Modification: Changing human behavior to tolerate the geese.

- Capture and Euthanasia: Rounding up the geese and end their lives using lethal injection.

- Nest and Egg Destruction: Generally addling or oiling eggs so that they are not viable.

- Repellents: Chemicals that might make geese feel ill, and no longer graze in treated areas.

-Regulated Hunting: Lifting hunting bans using a permit to allow hunting of a certain number of geese in a certain area.

- Flushing: Using a trained dog or other method to remove geese from an area.

- Contraception: Treating their feeding area with a contraceptive to prevent future generations.

- Hazing: Using decoys or balloons to frighten the geese.

- Visual and Audio Deterrents: Setting off non-lethal pyrotechnics or utilization of lasers at night to frighten geese.

- Community Education: Teaching the community how to live with and without Canada geese, as well as human behavior modification tactics.