Are Canada Geese Invasive In The US
Canada Geese in the US
While millions of canada geese reside in the United States and Canada, their origin is likely another continent. This invasive species has widely spread across all of North America and these birds can be found in all 50 states in the US, and in every province throughout Canada. Generally speaking canada geese settle in warmer areas in the country during the winter months and return to northern regions of the US and Canada in the springtime. These birds tend to migrate in large groups, often seen in the somewhat iconic V shaped formation. Because the canada goose sleeps in the water they are often seen near bodies of water during migration, and after they choose the areas they wish to settle in. Because canada geese tend to be aggressive towards both people and other wildlife they tend to have a negative impact on the immediate ecosystems they infest. The aggressive canada goose will scare off and displace other later waterfowl birds, and are even aggressive towards them resulting in attacks and fighting between the wildlife birds. A wild goose that lives near your residence or commercial property may cause ongoing frustrations, but they also may become aggressive with people nearby. This is especially common near bodies of water that are surrounded by plants and trees including shopping facilities, golf courses, hospitals, office buildings, city and state parks, churches, and many other facilities and properties. This invasive species seems harmless at first but the issues they cause can escalate quickly and they can rapidly become a massive nuisance. If you’re struggling with canada geese on a property that you own or manage please reach out to our team at Go Geese Go today to find more about the services that we offer to manage the wild birds and bring some peace back to your property.
Wildlife Colliding with Dense Cities
An unbothered goose relaxing on a pond, lake, or near another body of water can appear peaceful and gentle. These birds appear graceful and are beautiful to look at, but it is important to know they can be quite aggressive, especially in areas with a dense population. Many waterfowl birds like ducks and swans become intimidated by the aggression of canada geese and become displaced. Most waterfowl birds have overlapping nesting seasons and this aggression from canada geese can be more frequent because all of the birds are protective of their nests. As cities and metropolitan areas continue to grow in the United States and Canada the collision of surrounding wildlife only becomes more of a pressing issue. A goose is a beautiful bird, but can easily become a local menace leaving plenty of fecal droppings containing harmful bacteria, harassing residents or customers on the property, and ruining groomed lawns and grassy areas. A goose will view a park or recreational facility as a safe haven with large open spaces, bodies of water, and plenty of thriving plants. As experts in goose control we will help deter these birds from returning to your property for a long time, if not for good.
A Wild Nuisance
An aggressive goose is likely to get into altercations with patrons and residents when the goose is nesting on a property that has a lot of foot traffic. This invasive bird will become territorial during nesting season which even further increases the likelihood their aggression will increase. It has been observed in the US and Canada that geese begin nesting in March and going as late as May. The Go Geese Go team works with many clients in both residential and commercial settings to keep the wildlife interactions between birds and humans to a minimum. Whether you’re having issues in the backyard of your home, or the outdoor space at an office building we will utilize our humane techniques to try and remove the geese. It is best to avoid all bird feces in order to remain safe, but in areas with large groups of Canada geese this can be rather difficult. A single Canada Goose can produce 1-2lbs of feces per day, which can add up quickly if an entire flock has taken up residence on or near your property. Feeding a goose will make them feel more comfortable with the environment and greatly increase the likelihood that they will stay, and even may begin nesting if it is the appropriate season. Wildlife birds are drawn to areas with accessible food as a means of survival, so they will become attached and in some cases will even return to the same spot year-after-year for nesting. There have been documented cases where each year after seasonal migration a goose returned to the same nesting ground for over a decade. We always discourage feeding of wildlife, especially canada geese. Sometimes people who are dealing with an increase in geese on their property will turn to gimmicks to save money like scarecrows, fake alligators, ultrasonics, and more. However, in our experience these gimmicks don’t typically work, and if they do show any signs of improving the situation it is for a very brief time.
Canada Geese Control
Canada geese are protected by federal law, so we do not recommend attacking the geese or destroying their nests. Wildlife conservation is a very important part of maintaining an ecosystem and it is possible to “train” the canada geese to stay away from a property. We will visit properties with expertly trained herding dogs that make the bird flock feel as if a predator is stalking them, which causes them to temporarily flee. As we continue to work with our herding dogs the canada geese often relocate. We encourage clients to act sooner than later when dealing with a bird infestation to prevent them from turning your property into their new residence. The quicker a goose realizes that the environment is not safe for nesting they are more likely to relocate; the canada geese is quite a stubborn bird so acting quickly makes clearing them from the area much faster and easier. There are a variety of methods for encouraging a goose to move on to a new area, but waiting and hoping they will leave on their own accord is not the answer. Typically Go Geese Go will work on our client’s properties between February and October to train new canada geese that show up that this is not a place to settle or nest, and evict any goose that has been staying on the property and causing problems. Contact us today to get more information about how we can help control the wildlife taking up residence on your property. We are goose control experts and with our highly trained herding dogs we will work hard to rid your property of invasive canada geese.