Goose Management

Programs that develop and implement strategies to reduce, manage and control the Canada goose population and reduce the threat they pose to health and human safety and the damage they cause to personal and public property. Problems created by large flocks of geese include denuded grassy areas in parks, pastures, golf courses, lawns and other landscaped areas near ponds, lakes and other bodies of water; air traffic safety concerns associated with increased risk of bird strikes; public health issues arising from excessive goose droppings; and damage to agricultural crops and natural resource areas including degraded water quality. Management techniques include no feeding policies; erection of barriers between shorelines and lawns or other nesting/feeding areas; aversive chemicals; scare tactics using dogs, bird bombs, predatory birds, flash tape or other techniques; relocation; egg oiling (which prevents the hatching of young without inducing the female to produce another batch of eggs); and hunting to thin the bird population.