What Do Geese Eat And How Does It Impact Their Environment?

What Food Are The Geese in My Area Eating

Geese consume a variety of foods in their grazing diet. From seeds to aquatic vegetation geese feed on whatever resources their environment provides. They are often drawn to bodies of water that are rich in natural resources making it easier for them to find nourishment and safety. In their natural environment geese will search for grains, berries, grass, and other foliage. Waterfowl birds are fairly picky and tend to stick within a strict diet, depending on what they are able to find while grazing. Geese may become accustomed to being fed by passersby in parks, recreational properties, or other metropolitan areas, however, oftentimes people will provide food that shouldn’t be a part of the bird’s diet.

Never Feed Geese Bread

A large part of wildlife safety is driven by their natural instinct. Geese will feed on a variety of foods that naturally occur in their environments providing them a healthy, balanced diet. It is when humans feed waterfowl processed foods that it becomes an issue. Crackers, bread, and other processed human foods cause geese to become content and not seek out their typical grazing diet. These foods are high in carbohydrates and geese love snacking on them. Unfortunately feeding geese can cause health problems with these birds because they can become malnourished from eating bread and other carbohydrates. Because this diet is not fit for waterfowl disease and bacteria can spread through goose droppings which can cause environmental impacts.

Geese Almost Exclusively Eat Plants

While geese are considered aggressive waterfowl that can easily become provoked and get into brawls with other wildlife, they remain almost entirely herbivores. Geese will forage and graze for seeds, leaves, roots, grains, berries, bulbs, and aquatic plants. However, geese have been known to eat water invertebrates depending on what is available in their environment. This also depends on the time of year. If geese aren’t able to find their standard foods in their habitat during winter they may turn to the water for water invertebrates. With their varied, grazing diet geese tend to be nutritionally balanced. While their stools can still have bacteria, viruses, and more, it is likely caused by environmental factors and not a result of a poor diet.

How Feeding Geese Impacts Their Habitat

When people feed waterfowl bread and other processed foods made for humans they will no longer have a balanced diet. This altered, unnatural diet can produce a lot of bacteria through geese waste. Geese naturally seek out environments that provide all of the resources they need. If they are consistently fed human foods, geese will be less likely to fend for themselves and may become complacent in their habitat. If geese are catered for and have food provided for them they are less likely to migrate. More and more geese will arrive and continue to live near the same body of water. This will contribute to overpopulation of geese in one area, which will cause their natural resources to dwindle causing them to become even more reliant on food from humans.

Bacteria In The Water

As the diet of a flock of geese shifts to one that is full of foods high in carbohydrates their waste will be filled with bacteria. This bacteria can directly cause a spread of disease in the area, and can impact the quality of the water. Other wildlife, pets, and humans can become more easily exposed to disease when spread through water. This becomes dangerous not only for the geese, but also for humans. Geese can be natural spreaders of viruses, bacteria, E. coli, and more, so by feeding them bread and other snacks you may be further contributing to the spread of these diseases.

Go Geese Go Professional Geese Removal

Geese: A Federally Protected Waterfowl

Because geese are federally protected, physically removing them is not typically an option. When working with a professional geese removal service we are able to implement advanced techniques to make the geese feel uncomfortable in the environment, which causes them to seek out a new area to make their home.

Geese Removal Techniques That Work

Geese are commonly known to be both aggressive and stubborn. Go Geese Go uses a unique tactic to trick geese into relocation. With our specialty trained Border Collie dogs we mimic a predator-prey scenario with the geese in order to make them believe they are being stalked and are no longer safe. As we continue to do this many geese will find new homes or a new place to construct their nest.

How Geese Choose Nesting Spots

These wildlife creatures seek out comfort in the form of accessible resources. Typically when geese settle into an area or begin nesting they have meticulously selected this spot based on resources like landscape, food availability, safety, and nearby bodies of water. Once a geese nests it will not abandon the nest for any normal circumstances, so it’s important to contact a geese removal service early on if you’re seeing signs that geese have chosen your property for nesting or as a home.

Contact Go Geese Go for Geese Removal Services

Go Geese Go offers a professional geese removal service for property owners and property management. Whether you have found goose eggs on your property, have an infestation, or have guests being confronted by aggressive geese, Go Geese Go can provide helpful solutions to safely and humanely eliminate the problem. Contact Go Geese Go to find out more about our services and how we can create a plan to solve any geese problem you are having.