Canada Geese

[Anna1111]

Any ideas/thoughts on this?

Our Condo association has started an aggressive program to rid our development of Canada Geese. Anonymous domplaints are that they make too much noise, especially at night, and too many droppings, and it's killing the grass. There are allegations of aggression toward pets, but I'm skeptical of that one, since pets have to be with their person at all times, and I can't imagine a goose attacking an adult.

Nobody asked us about it, and the announcements are made without any signature or contact info.

They forbid any feeding, even when the ground is covered with snow and the water in the pond is frozen, so that the geese can get no food. They are going to addle the eggs (shake them so they won't hatch), and bring in dogs to scare the geese away. They fine us $100. each time we're caught feeding the waterfowl.

But, I love the Geese and the Ducks - we have a pond and they fit in nicely. When guests come to our home, they really enjoy them, too. Our development logo has a picture of a goose in flight!

Any ideas, or thoughts on options - legal or practical?

Thanks.

[hiimkelsi]

i'm almost positive this same thing recently happened in pittsburgh, http://www.myspace.com/voicesforanimals

i cant seem to find a blog about it, but i bet if you email them, they could give you some tips of things that they did.

[Anna1111]

Thanks for the link - I checked it out.

Sadly, in Pittsburgh they killed the geese. I'm grateful that our community is not planning that - at least not yet. It just disturbs me that they are trying to get rid of them at all - I think they are great to have around - I love watching them from my windows. I used to love feeding them. I don't understand people who dislike geese or thing they are a "nuisance."

[supadupabee]

What?? That's really messed up, I can't offer any legal advice but I think you need to voice your opinion ASAP. Ask around in your condo and see if anyone else feels like this is wrong, and try to get a petition against what they're doing.
You must have some contact information for the condo association, right?

Also, this may sound extreme, but if I were in your position and all else failed I would just move, I don't think I could live in a place like that.

[pagan_veela]

They used to be a protected species in Canada but they population has exploded to the point where they are actually becomming something of an environmental concern. As for aggression I know of several people who have been attacked by geese my one friend had his windshield smashed and nose broken. They can be a mite but ornery if you get to close to them or their mate.

I am not condoning people killing them or trying to get rid of them (I like them too at a distance) they are all over the place here in my home town from the water front to any park with a river or pond. They really are beautiful. I just thought I would bring in a little bit of the other side of the argument. Although I don't believe wildlife control should be left up to a condo association since their are safer ways of relocating geese.

Once again I love geese and all water fowl I enjoy feeding them and seeing them with their goslings I do not want anyone to construe what I have said and think that I am all for killing geese quite the opposite i just wanted people to be aware that they are aggressive if approached or sense danger to their nest or mate (they mate for life) and that their rapidly growing population is proving to be an environmental issue in some areas.

[Duckalucky]

Many of the environmental aspects are overblown, as well as other complaints.  Some people can't see an animal without wanting to kill it, and I think geese are definitely on that list.  Their population booms and busts with the years, as many animal populations do.

The best way to keep geese off your property is to not make your property a paradise for them: close cropped green grass, water access, and secluded nooks for breeding.  Sadly, once they have bonded to an area, they will come back every year regardless of terrain changes: female geese return to the site where they were hatched, bringing their husbands, every year to breed. 

There are some non-violent ways of driving them off: spraying the grass with concord grape extract, which they hate; border collies, which scare them off; etc.  Egg addling and spraying eggs with oil is pretty much not okay with me, but it's better than the more extreme alternative -- killing these magnificent birds who mate for life and care for one another socially in such permanent ways is a crime.

Try www.geesepeace.org for links and advice in line with your property manager's solutions.  It may help to explain what they're up to.  Good luck!  I'll be thinking of you and your ebony-headed, white-chinstrapped friends!

[laurabs]

canada geese ARE aggressive. they'll attack with little incentive... but that doesn't mean they're evil or vermin. in my hometown of kitchener, ontario, there's an annual roundup of canada geese - once a year, wildlife people gather up all the geese living in a downtown park and set them free outside the city. they are a problem, though - there are just SO many! it's dangerous for them, other animals, and people.

don't kill them though! they're pretty when they fly! their honking and flying makes me nostalgic - especially in the fall when they're migrating south.

[Capture]

This is going on in some of the Detroit suburbs too--they are having the DNR go in and take all the eggs and destroy them so the others will think there is a preadator (duh...humans) and will leave--I just think that is awful! Make me so sad that people don't wanna deal with a little poo--I know they can be agressive, but hello! We are like 10X bigger then them--if you run at them, they will go away! Poor burdies 

[Duckalucky]

I have spent a lot of time among wild Canada geese, taking photos and just loving them.  The only times I've had them attack me were:

1) when I was encroaching on a nest site (I didn't know!) I had geese come at me aggressively.  They didn't try to harm me but they raised a ruckus.
2) when I rescued a dog-mauled gosling that was drowning from the pond, all the adult geese in the entire pond flew at me.  They defended their baby and I think they would have harmed us if they could have.  When the baby stopped crying and cuddled up, they stopped attacking and hung around honking disconsolately.  We beat a hasty retreat and took the baby to the vet (which didn't have a happy ending, but at least he wasn't drowning and bleeding helplessly.)
3) when I had food they tried to take it. I don't think this is an attack!!

I don't think they are aggressive.  Obviously they will defend their little goosey society, but they don't carry rabies or pose a serious threat.  They ARE messy and loud, but I love that about them.

[Capture]

They ARE messy and loud, but I love that about them.

You know I'm messy and loud--wanna love me  I'll make you cookies 

[Anna1111]

Thanks for the input, everyone!

I watched last week as they brought dogs in to chase them away. The dogs jumped in the water and pursued the geese (it was 42 degrees out, so the water must have been very cold). I felt bad for the dogs being so mistreated, and bad for the geese. But they just leave for a day or two and come back. I stood out on our balcony and watched them - mostly so the humans would know they were being watched. They had promised the dogs wouldn't hurt the geese, and I wanted them to know that if that wasn't true, someone would know.

I wish there were a better alternative.

I appreciate all the thoughts.

[mdvegan]

http://aldf.org/

[Duckalucky]

They ARE messy and loud, but I love that about them.

You know I'm messy and loud--wanna love me  I'll make you cookies 

You know you're my favorite silly goose.  Except my hubby.  His nickname is Goosey.

[VegHeadZealia]

It might be ailleagal to addle the eggs because its "molesting wildlife," which would be a federal offense, wouldn't it...kinda like if people started driving off seals from an area? Geese may not be protected, but neither are seals. I too love geese. We like to watch them fly overhead!