Volunteers Needed for Geese Management Study
By Terry Breckenridge and Rodger Yeatman

Flying wedges of Canada Geese have begun to fill the sky, heralding the arrival of spring in Tiny Township. Who can deny the thrill inspired by this demonstration of perfect formation flying, navigational instinct and long-distance endurance! Until, that is, 50 or so land on your lawn, chomp the grass down to the roots, and individually deposit up to 3 pounds of excrement per week on your favorite beach.

The Great Canada Goose was essentially extinct in the wild in Southern Ontario by 1900. Over the next 50 years private efforts were made to re-introduce Canada geese in the province, followed by government initiatives from 1950 through 1967. The extraordinary growth of bird populations since that time, particularly in urban centres, has led to today’s intense and escalating management efforts by governments and by private citizens. Concerns about growing geese populations in Tiny have led the township to join with neighboring jurisdictions to form the North Simcoe Goose Management Task Force to evaluate the nature and extent of the issue, and develop an appropriate response.

Canada geese generally like what man does to the environment – fertilized, irrigated and mown lawns overlooking quiet lakes and ponds provide succulent feeding, unimpeded access to water and unobstructed views to spot potential predators. It is estimated that the number of geese in Southern Ontario has grown from several thousand in the 1960’s to 27,000 in 1980 and over 350,000 in 1998. Breeding populations in Southwestern Ontario appear to have stabilized, with most of the population increase now resulting from range expansion into the eastern and central regions of the province.

Canada geese begin mating when they are 2-4 years old and may live up to 25 years. In late March mating pairs can be observed seeking nesting areas in Tiny. They prefer a raised location - hummocks, tree stumps, muskrat houses, etc. – usually within 50 m of water. Nests are constructed from surrounding vegetation and lined with down pulled from the breast of the female. Over a one-week period in early April the female lays 5 - 7 eggs, then sits on the nest so that incubation will begin simultaneously. Throughout the nesting period the male appears as a lone goose, but he’s usually within a very short distance of his mate who blends into the environment making her very difficult to spot on the nest. If the nest and eggs are destroyed, the adults may re-nest.

The eggs hatch in about 28 days. Goslings are incapable of flight for about 70 days so the young birds and their parents will graze near the hatching area for that time. Adult Canada geese replace all of their flight feathers each summer, leaving them flightless for about one month usually beginning in June. Scattered moult feathers and down combined with heavy grazing and excrement has become a major test of human tolerance in areas invaded by large numbers of Canada geese.

Canada geese invoke a wide range of opinion. Some argue that man has created the environment that favours the current population explosion and nature should be left to take its course. While few would argue for the total elimination of the species, concerns range from the general nuisance to economic loss (lawn and crop destruction), accidents (road hazard, aviation safety) and health threats (fecal contamination). Given the range of views, management has become the objective with active community involvement in the process of defining an acceptable local population of geese and the methods by which those numbers should be maintained.

A number of measures are available to control populations:
1. “No Feed” policies – may not keep them away, but at least it doesn’t put out the welcome mat!
2. Barrier techniques - a low (8”) wire, cord or lattice fence will generally deter birds, while shrubs, bushes, tall grass and other plant species will act as a barrier between the shoreline and lawns.
3. Chemical aversion techniques - generally are expensive and tend to lose effectiveness quickly, particularly if it rains.
4. Scare tactics - dogs, flash tape, bird bombs, and bald eagle statues work well in the short term, but gradually lose effectiveness as geese quickly habituate to the disturbance. They may have the added disadvantage of annoying the neighbors, and of pushing the problem to neighboring areas.
5. Relocation - used with some success in specific regions until recipient areas themselves became overpopulated.
6. Egg oiling - effectively prevents hatching without triggering the female to lay a new batch of eggs. The Canada Goose is a migratory bird, protected under Canadian law by the Migratory Birds Convention Act, so permits are required from the Canadian Wildlife Service. While humane, it is a long-term effort and needs to be carried out annually over many years to achieve long-term population reductions.
7. Hunting - in designated wildlife management units and during specific time periods between September and February, subject to strict regulation including daily bag restrictions and possession limits.

No one solution will address all the concerns with geese. A cooperative approach between individuals, community associations and various levels of government using a variety of methods in a coordinated fashion is necessary, and then only over a period of time. Public education and active dialogue are necessary to inform residents about the nature and extent of the issue and control techniques currently available, and to develop acceptable strategies to effectively meet the challenges posed by growing geese populations.

The North Simcoe Goose Management Task Force was established early this year to develop a strategy for an acceptable solution to problems with growing geese populations in the region. The representatives for the Township of Tiny are Terry Breckenridge and Rodger Yeatman. Their first objective is to determine the nature and extent of the issue in Tiny, and they would appreciate your input. In particular, they are looking for volunteers to observe and to report on goose behavior in the township over the spring, summer and fall seasons. To volunteer or to provide any comment or other insight please contact Terry at tbreckenridge@ca.inter.net or Rodger at rodger.yeatman@sympatico.ca