Ohio Outdoors: Canada Geese are officially a nuisance (but don’t hurt them)

The geese flocks are growing. Go to any open grassy space or harvested field and you’ll witness this phenomenon. They can also be seen flying in formation. Are they migrating already? Isn’t this early? If they are leaving, why do their numbers keep growing?

First of all, Canada Geese are social birds. It makes sense, as there is safety in numbers. In the spring, males and females pair off to build nests and lay eggs. Geese are monomorphic birds, which means that both genders look similar, and both help raise the young (they are very good parents). All summer, the family stays together. As migration season approaches, many families gather together in large flocks to establish traveling groups. These groups make short “practice” flights that help strengthen the newly feathered wings of the young. It also helps them learn the ‘V’ formation they fly in.

If you ever watch Canada Geese flying in formation, you’ll notice that the leader will drop back and switch places with another. This is to allow the leader to rest while drafting off of its fellows. By taking turns leading, the burden is shared by those with experience. The young learn by example, and the following year they may become leaders.

Canada Geese migrate from their northern breeding grounds to the southern United States and Mexico. Prior to1950, they were only migratory in Ohio. Of course, the reason birds fly south for the winter is to find plenty of food and shelter to survive until spring. The milder winters we’ve been experiencing lately are causing changes in bird migration patterns. Some of them don’t leave.

In the early 1950s, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) created a program to save the Giant Canada Goose subspecies from extinction. The giants nest in milder climates like the Midwest. They brought in birds from Minnesota to establish a resident (year-round) population in the Buckeye State. The program was instantly successful. ODNR’s target of 60,000 individuals across the state has been obliterated. In fact, Portage County’s Canada Goose population in 2012 was estimated at over 147,000. That means in 2012 there were almost as many Canada Geese as people living in the county.

With these mind-blowing numbers, Canada Geese are now considered nuisance animals in the Buckeye State. They damage lawns and vegetation, their feces create a mess on both land and water, and they can become aggressive in the spring. Those that are fed lose their fear of humans and will attack anyone who gets too close to the nest or the young.

Pests though they may be, Canada Geese are protected under the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Ohio law. However, tactics to scare the birds away without harming them are legal. This includes things like dogs, coyote silhouettes, pyrotechnics, swan decoys, fencing, and more. If non-lethal tactics fail, an application can be filed with ODNR for a lethal permit (contact ODNR at 1-800-WILDLIFE or wildinfo@dnr.ohio.gov)

One preventative thing you can do as an individual is to not feed Canada Geese (or any kind of wildlife). First of all, things like bread, crackers, chips, popcorn and other human food are not good for them. They can’t properly digest these items and fill up without getting the nutrients they need. Secondly, feeding wildlife causes them to lose their fear of humans, which leads to attacks.

If you experience Canada Goose damage on your land or aggressive goose behavior, contact your local wildlife officer or the nearest district ODNR office.