Traditional Goose Harassment Tactics Are Ineffective, Especially in the Winter When Birds Should Be More Amenable to Intimidation

Canada geese cause collisions with airplanes, frighten timid joggers, and litter sidewalks and lawns with enormous piles of waste.

Since they are frequently regarded as a nuisance, municipalities spend a lot of time and resources harassing the obstinate flocks of geese.

However, new research indicated that traditional goose harassment tactics are ineffective, particularly in the winter when birds should be more vulnerable to intimidation techniques.

Canada geese beat humans in a longstanding territory battle

(Photo : Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

The study's co-author and professor of natural resources and environmental sciences at the University of Illinois, Mike Ward, explains that harassment is a factor in energy equations, as per ScienceDaily.

"If a bird is hanging around Chicago in winter, it's probably not in good shape. It's cold and doesn't have a lot of food," he said.

Unfortunately, they discovered that in practice, harassment doesn't work to force the geese to migrate to warmer climates by exhausting their energy during a season that is already challenging.

The study is not the first to conclude that harassment is ineffective, but it is the first to provide an explanation.

To find out where Canada geese travel to and how their behavior changes when they are harassed, researchers used GPS transmitters with movement trackers akin to Fitbits.

Ryan Askren, a former doctoral candidate of Ward and current postdoctoral researcher at the University of Arkansas in Monticello, collaborated with Chicago's USDA-Wildlife Services employees to harass Canada geese at Marquette Park close to Midway Airport.

Members of the research team approached geese while driving or walking toward them during the winters of 2017 and 2018.

The majority of the harassed geese either left the same park and went elsewhere or returned within an hour.

Those that did migrate out of the urban environment did so to commercial rooftops, railyards, other parks, water treatment ponds, and sports fields; they didn't exactly migrate far.

Ward and Askren looked for evidence in the behavior of geese, but they didn't find much to support the idea that harassment depletes energy reserves at a vulnerable time.

While harassed birds spent slightly more time flying and alert than non-harassed birds, they also spent just as much time foraging and resting, which are crucial components of the energetic equation.

Finally, the research team questioned whether geese living in Chicago simply had developed more grit in the hectic urban environment, making them less easily startled. 

The researchers knew which geese were migrants from rural areas and which were long-time residents of Chicago because they had tracked these geese for other studies over an extended period of time.

As it turned out, harassment didn't seem to bother either group very much.

Askren attributes the ability of Canada geese to be highly adaptable, to have an exceptional memory, and to be able to distinguish between real threats and minor annoyances.

Also Read: UK: Frustration Grows as Greylag Geese Damage Grazing Land, Evades Shooters in Scotland

What to do about Canadian geese

Goose poop can be found anywhere there are Canada geese. And therein lies the main issue that a lot of people have with these largely harmless birds, as per Humane Society.

In many communities, rounding up and killing entire flocks of geese has become a common (and temporary) solution. This is not only inhumane, but it also provides space for a brand-new flock to appear overnight.

The same is true for Canadian geese, which are a common source of worry for people who live close to airports.

Airport safety programs are necessary for the protection of both wildlife and air travelers.

Making airports and the areas around them unattractive habitats for birds is the solution, which entails tackling the issue at its root.

Some methods of goose scaring are more effective than others.

All of these things work much better in areas where the landscaping makes geese wary and where contraception or addling has also been used to prevent geese from tending to flightless goslings.

These aversive conditioning techniques are not a humane solution until they young are and able to fly at the end of the summer.

Using trained dogs to herd geese is the most efficient method for doing so.

Geese are persuaded by herding dogs that they are not safe from predators, but only specially trained dogs working alongside a handler should perform this.

When dogs are properly trained and handled, geese take off and completely clear an area. Incorrect handling may only cause the birds to fall into the water, where, if they are not pursued, they quickly realize the dog is not a genuine threat.

Never let your dog chase or hurt a goose.

Additionally, as the valued employees that they are, dogs must be cared for and kept safe while working.

Related article: Migrating Geese Save Energy by Riding a Himalayan Roller Coaster