Goose/Geese Control
Canada Geese ( Branta canadensis) is a large goose originally from North America. Found in and around water. As there numbers increase they are coming increasingly into contact with humans. There large size can make their droppings a slip hazzard and if they are nesting they can become very aggressive and frightening.
Goose Biology and Behaviour
- Canada Geese have a life-span of about twenty five years, but there have been known specimens reaching eighty
- They like to build their nests on the banks of a pond/lake or river
- Both the male and female goose will take part in buiding their nest, which they build out of twigs, leaves, and even litter such as bits of plastic or wire
- Geese usually lay five eggs, which take approximately 28-30 days to hatch. The parents can be very aggressive, even to humans, from the time the eggs are laid, until the hatchlings reach independance. Though the young can stay with the parents for upto a year.
- Baby geese, hatchlings, leave the nest under parent supervision of one or both of the parents after 1 – 2 days. They can swim walk feed and even dive.
- Geese breed generally April to May
- After hatching, the young will be independent in about 20 days.
Free Survey
We will survey your site free of charge, and talk to the people involved to ensure that we understand your bird problem. We then complete a comprehensive report that outlines the options available to you, and specifies our recommended solution as well as detailing all the costs involved.
Management and Control of Canada Geese
Canada Geese are on a site because it provides the resources that they need, either somewhere to nest, food or water.
Dogs
Using dogs for Canada Geese control is a non-lethal deterrent programme, a natural and effective measure, where the aim is not to kill the geese but to deter them from the area. The public is supportive of the use of dogs for Canada Goose control, and our clients benefit from positive public relations by dealing with the problems caused by nuisance geese in a humand and responsible way.
Unlike other bird scaring devices, geese never become habituated to the presence of a live dog chasing them. Our dogs are specially trained and bread for this work. We work closly with the breaders to get the dogs with the right temperament.
Geese Proofing
Installing anti-geese nets around the water source to prevent the geese getting access to the water from the banks. We can sometimes proof specific areas to stop the geese getting access to favoured nesting sites.
Scaring Systems
Scaring systems, whether that is an audio or visual goose scaring system do not work very well for very long. Geese will adapt very quickly to new things, so scaring systems will have very little long-term effect on a goose nesting or feeding population.
Self Help Measures
It is very difficult to get rid of Canada Geese once they have established themselves in an area.
We find people have 2 main problems with Canada Geese.
- Either the geese are nesting next to a pond in a place where their aggression during this period causes areas to become unusuable by humans during the nesting season. We have helped people where bridges accross waterways were made no go areas for humans.
- The second problem times are usually autum and winter where the geese congrigate in open areas such as playing pitches or other sports grounds for feeding. Here a large gathering can cause huge problems with their dropping being large and slippery. In sports such as football and rugby players coming to ground where there are large amounts of droppings can be off-putting and obviously greatly increases the risk to health. We have know to games being postponed while the ground is cleaned.