WILDLIFE SMART

Don’t feed or approach geese as this can place people and geese in closer proximity and increase risks for both.

COEXISTING WITH CANADA GEESE Unlike most waterfowl, Canada geese consume food that they primarily find on land, rather than in water. Historically, this has meant extensive damage to agricultural crops, particularly during the fall migration. While agricultural producers continue to experience waterfowl crop depredation from Canada geese, these adaptable birds are now increasingly taking up residence in urban areas. This has resulted in increased conflicts with the people in urban areas, including increased risks to human safety, health and property damage.

There are things you can do to reduce the risk of conflicts with Canada geese. This fact sheet offers some helpful advice to protect yourself, your family, your property and geese.

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CANADA GEESE

• Geesefeedinginanareacancausesignificant damagetolawns,parks,golfcoursesand agriculturalcrops.

• Goosedroppingsfoullawns,sidewalks,beaches andplaygrounds.Theycanalsodegradewater qualityonlakesandreservoirs,posingpotential riskstohumanhealth.

• Geesewalkingonroadwayscandisrupttrafficflow andincreasetheriskofvehiclecollisions.

• Geeseflyingnearairportscanbedangerousto arrivinganddepartingaircraft.

• Agoosecanattackpeopleorpets,particularly whenitsensesathreattoitsyoungornest.

THINGS YOU CAN DO TO REDUCE THE RISK OF CONFLICT

Reduce risks for people

• NeverapproachaCanadagoose.Itmayattackto protectitselforitsyoung.Beawarethatgeeseare especiallyprotectivewhilenesting.

Don’t feed geese

• Ifgeesebecomeusedtohandoutsfromhumans, theycanlosetheirfearofpeople,puttingbothgeese andpeopleincloserproximityandatgreaterrisk.

• Foodgivenbypeopleisgenerallylessnutritious, andrelianceonhandoutscanleadtomalnourishment andpossibledeath.

• Providingfoodtogeesecandelaytheirmigration, resultinginaddedstressandmortalitytogeese.

• Providingnutrient-richfoodhasthepotentialto increasegoosereproductionandsurvivalrates. Thiscanleadtoincreasedgoosepopulationsand increasedgoosedroppingsthatcandegradewater qualityonlakesandreservoirsandincreasethreats tohumanhealth.Aswell,itcanleadtomoreareas onlandthatarefouledbygoosedroppings,suchas lawns,sidewalks,beachesandplaygrounds.

• Supplementalfeedingcanalsoleadtoartificially increasedgoosepopulationsthatthehabitatmay notbeabletosustain.Thiscancauselong-term damagetothathabitat,bothforgeeseandother wildlife.Itcanalsoresultinincreaseddamageto agriculturalcrops.

Reduce the risk of vehicle collisions Be alert

• Inthespringandearlysummer,whenmanygeese areflightlessandmoveaboutbywalking.

• Onroadsalongsidewaterbodies,andotherareas geeseareknowntofrequent.

If a goose approaches or crosses the road:

• Slowdownandcheckyourrearviewmirror.

• Flashyourheadlightstowarnotherdrivers.

• Leaveasafeamountofdistancebetweenyouand otherdrivers.

• Ifthegoosecrosses,brakefirmlyandstoponlyifyou candososafely.

• Avoidswerving–youcouldlosecontrolorcrashinto anothervehicle.

• Avoidstopping–continuetomovethroughthearea slowly,honkingyourhornifnecessarytogetthegeese tomoveofftheroad.

If you encounter geese on the road, slow down and avoid swerving.

Reduce the risk of property damage Exclusion

• Fencingorotherphysicalbarrierscanbeeffective wheregeesetendtolandonwaterandwalkuponto adjacentlawnstofeedorrest.

• Fencingshouldbeatleast75centimetres(cm)talland builtsolidly.Thefencingshouldcompletelyenclose theprotectedarea.

• Optionstoconsiderforexclusioninclude:wood fencing,chainlinkmesh,shrubsorhedgerows, boulders,andtemporaryfencing,suchasplastic snowfenceornylonmesh.

• Gridsystemsformedfromwire,cable,twineorrope canbestretched30to50cmoverpondsornewly plantedareas.Usepolesorfloatsasneededto supportagridoveranextendedarea.

Scaring devices

• Theuseofscaringdevicescanbeeffective,atleast onatemporarybasis.Geesecanbecomefamiliarwith thepresence,noiseoractionofthesedevices,making theireffectivenessshort-lived.Topreventhabituation andprolongthescaringeffect,changethetypeof deviceormovethemaroundthepropertyonaregular basis.Beconsiderateofyourneighbourswhen choosingappropriatedevices.

• Deviceoptionstoconsiderinclude:

– Strobe lights or lasers:Bright,flashinglightscan disturbgeesebetweenduskanddawn.Birdscare laserdevicescanbeusedinlowlightconditions, andareeffectiveatadistanceofseveralhundred metres.

– Motion-activated devices:lights,water-sprayers andnoise-makers.

– Noise-making devices:radios,goosedistresscalls, goosepredatorcalls(preferablyusedincombination withtheappropriatepredatoreffigy),propane-fired scarecannons(inruralareaswhereby-lawspermit).

– Effigies (scare-crow type figures) of goose predators:human,eagle,swanorcoyote

– Other predator images:heliumballoonswith graphicsoflargepredatoreyes,orkitesshaped likelargebirdsofprey.

– Flags:thesecanbeconstructedfromablack plasticgarbagebag(0.6metreby1metre)and mountedonatallpoleatleast2.5metresabove theground.Cutthreeslitsintheendoftheflag tomakefourflaps.

– Streamers:lengthsofshinyorbrightmaterials strungbetweenstakes,polesortreesand allowedtomoveinthewind.

Landscape modification

• Minimizeareasplantedtograss,asgeesefeed ongrass.

• Mowgrassyareaslessfrequently.Longergrass makesitharderforgeesetofindtheyoung, tendershootstheyprefer.

• Plantadifferenttypeofgrass.Amorecoarsegrass, suchasfescue,islessappealingtogeese.

• Avoidcreatingnewwaterretentionbasinsin developedareas.

• Naturalizeexistingwaterretentionbasinsand wetlands.Alloworplantreedsandothertall vegetationtogrowalongtheedgesofthewater.

Modified agricultural practices

• Plantfastermaturingvarietiesofgrain.

• Straight-combinecrops,wheneverpossible,rather thanswathing.

• Combineataslightlyhighermoisturecontentand thendrythegrain.

• Useacroprotationthatincludeslessvulnerablecrops, suchassoybeansorflax.

• Delayfalltillageoperationsuntilharvestinginthe areaiscomplete.Harvestedfieldswillfrequently provideenoughgraintoattractgeeseandother waterfowlandkeepthemawayfromvulnerablecrops.

Hunting (where permitted by regulations and by-laws)

• Huntingisaneffectiveandefficientmeansto managegoosepopulations.Byallowinghunting, municipalitiesandlandownerscanreduceconflicts withgeese,andassistinmaintaininggoose populationsatsociallyacceptablelevelsthatthe localhabitatisabletosupport.

For more information on reducing the risk of conflicts with Canada geese and other wildlife, visit www.manitoba.ca/human-wildlife.

To report wildlife showing aggressive behaviour or that appears sick, injured, or orphaned, call the TIP line at 1-800-782-0076.