QUICK GOOSE
FACTS
Canada
Geese are regulated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the
guidelines set forth by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 making
it unlawful to kill, sell, hunt, disturb nests and eggs, or purchase
and possess migratory birds unless permitted by the Secretary of the
Interior.
Goose Life
Facts:
- Life Span of up to
24 years.
- Mating is for life.
If a mate is lost, a new mate is often found.
- Average nest size 3
to 6 eggs with as many as 12 possible.
- Molting of adult
birds occurs every summer, for up to a 6 week period, rendering all birds
flightless
- Nests can be very
large, up to 4 feet across, built on land and usually close to water.
- Geese are grazing
animals, eating grasses and other succulent plant material.
- An adult goose eats up to 4
lbs of grass daily.
- An adult goose drops 2 lbs
of fecal matter daily
- goose fecal matter has been
linked to the spread of diseases and bacterial infections(CDC).
- Population growth
ranges from 10 to 17% annually.
- Geese typically return to
the same nesting and birth sites every year.
 Current
goose conflicts in urban and suburban settings are often caused by
resident Canada Geese flocks and not migratory birds. During the
1930’s an ambitious effort was undertaken to reintroduce a resident
population of geese throughout the Continental United States.
 Many things have changed since the re-establishment of resident
geese, particularly the use and development of our land resources.
Creating open spaces with well manicured lawns, often dotted with
ponds and lakes, and the lack of predators in these suburban
settings creates an environment in which geese can thrive. Extensive
food resources, excellent nesting areas, and security from predators
are all that is needed to create a population explosion among
resident Canada Geese.
Often these Geese feed in adjacent farm land creating a hardship to the land owner. Hunting access is often limited due to the proximity
to human environments.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates the current (2006)
national resident goose population at 4.5 million. At an average
annual growth rate of 10%, within three years 1.2 million new geese
will be added to the current population.
These unnatural conditions work to produce healthier and larger
geese capable of laying larger nests and living much longer than
their migratory cousins. |
