Is Geese Poop Toxic?

Sep 9, 2021

If you’ve got geese poop on your property, you know it’s a huge nuisance – but is it toxic? Geese feces present health risks for people and pets, so it’s important to keep your property clear of geese and their droppings. Here’s a closer look at why goose poop is such a big health problem, and what you can do about it.

Why is goose poop a health risk?

One goose can poop up to 2 pounds per day. Multiply that by the number of geese on your property and it’s no surprise your yard, sidewalks and other areas can quickly become a mess and a health hazard. Geese can carry bacteria that can be spread through feces, nasal discharge and bites. Geese can also have parasites like cryptosporidium that can spread through contaminated water or if you eat an under-cooked goose. Additionally, Canada geese can contract and spread viruses like the avian flu. If you have a pond on your property, geese droppings can cause problems for it as well. These are just some of the reasons to control your geese population.

E. coli

Geese feces can contain the bacteria Escherichia coli. E. coli is more prevalent during warmer months than colder months, so it’s extra important to be aware of goose droppings during the summer. While E. coli from geese droppings has relatively low human virulence – meaning it doesn’t pose significant risks to the health of humans – you’ll still want to avoid getting too close to it. Taking off your shoes before entering your home and washing your hands can help keep you from bringing bacteria from geese into your home. Additionally, always pay attention to children and pets to make sure they don’t ingest geese droppings.

Salmonella

Salmonella is another type of bacteria that can be passed to humans through goose feces. If you’re outside and there’s geese feces nearby, be careful not to touch it. If you have children, pay attention to where they’re playing, as accidentally touching feces from geese and then touching their faces could make them sick.

Cryptosporidium

Cryptosporidium is a parasite that can be passed from Canada geese to humans. This typically happens when people come in contact with water that’s been contaminated by geese droppings. If you decide to take a dip in a nearby pond, be aware that the water may not be as clean or safe as you think it is. Cryptosporidium can cause symptoms like abdominal pain and diarrhea in humans, making it an unpleasant experience.

Other bacteria, parasites, and viruses

E. coli, salmonella, and cryptosporidium aren’t the only problems that may occur if you come into close contact with feces from geese. Feces may also contain bacteria like chlamydiosis, listeria, and pasteurella multocida, plus parasites like toxoplasmosis and giardia. Additionally, Canada geese are at risk of contracting avian influenza. Scientists are still researching the level of human virulence, or risk this poses to people. To avoid becoming sick from these bacteria, parasites, and viruses, it’s best to stay away from geese droppings.

Danger to family, pets, and property

Geese feces pose health risks to humans, especially young children, elderly people, and people with weakened immune systems. If your kids have been playing in an area where geese like to hang out, be sure to wash their hand, toys and shoes when they come inside. Dogs have been known to eat all kinds of crazy things, so try to keep them from playing in areas that are frequented by geese to reduce the risk of your dog eating goose feces and getting sick. Make sure to also wash their paws so they don’t bring goose poop into your home.

Feces from geese also pose issues for ponds. Geese droppings speed up eutrophication, causing weeds and algae to grow faster. This can deplete the water’s supply of oxygen and kill fish.

What to do if you have a geese problem

If your property is full of geese and geese feces, there are steps you can take to control your goose population and help keep yourself, your family and your pets safe.

Stay away from geese and their feces

Geese feces may contain bacteria and parasites that pose a risk to your health and your family’s health. Be careful where you allow kids and pets to play so they don’t swim in contaminated water, ingest goose droppings or bring them into your home. It’s also important to stay away from geese since they can be aggressive and pose the risk of biting. Geese bites can also spread bacteria, posing a risk to your health and safety.

Seek professional geese control services

The best way to reduce the amount of geese droppings on your property is to reduce the number of geese. To do this, remove their food source by asking tenants to remove bird feeders and not feed the geese. You can also build a wire grid above your pond to prevent geese from landing (without causing problems for mallard ducks) or use goose repellent.

The most effective way to get rid of geese is by bringing in Go Geese Go for goose control. Our team of highly trained border collies will “evict” your geese by chasing them off your property twice per day. The geese will assume your property isn’t a safe location and will find somewhere else to reside. This is a humane goose control method that works for residential and commercial properties. With fewer geese around, you’ll have less goose droppings to deal with, too.