Canada geese cook own goose with big numbers

Most of us like things just right. Extremes make us uncomfortable. Excessive heat, too much to eat, too much to do and limitless rain are examples of excess that can be bad. On the opposite end of the spectrum bitter cold, not enough to eat, a lack of things to do and drought are just as bad.

Balance is something you and I strive for. The Conservation Department views wildlife populations in the same way. We get concerned when wildlife populations get too low or too high.

Canada geese present a good example of this principle. In 1962 there was a small population of giant Canada geese, Branta canadensis maxima, nesting in Missouri. It historically nested in the Midwest on elevated sites near water such as muskrat houses, islands, abandoned raptor nests and bluff faces. Giant Canada geese, discovered nesting along the lower Missouri River in the 1960s, are believed to be a remnant native population.

Conservation efforts were in order to improve the species' population balance. The Conservation Department took the lead on re-introducing goslings into their former habitat. Nest tubs were placed on public lakes and designs were made available for the public.

Giant Canada geese began to recover nicely. As time went on, they found human habitat suitable for their needs. Nicely mowed lawns near lakes were ideal places to swim and feed. Golf courses, parks, subdivisions and private residences soon became goose habitat. The geese slowly overcame their fear of people and were doing great in urban areas as they were in the marshes.

Many people enjoyed these urbanized geese. They fed them and even put nesting tubs in lake coves to attract them. The thrill of a flock landing on a lake, honking all the while, was a big hit.

In the late 1990s it was obvious that giant Canada geese were exceeding desired population size.

Areas with a huge urban concentration were dealing with many nuisance goose complaints.

Their presence in some locations may result in problems. Goose flocks near airports are an aviation hazard. Most problems result from goose droppings in urban or semi-residential locations. Lawns, golf courses and community or subdivision lakes provide ideal loafing, roosting and grazing areas for geese. Droppings on shorelines, swimming beaches and docks are a nuisance and a health hazard.

While the bulk of the problems occur in larger cities such as St. Louis and Kansas City, Southeast Missouri is beginning to experience the burden of a goose population that is too large. Select locations such as Cape Girardeau, Sikeston, Poplar Bluff and Jackson are just beginning to have problems with geese.

One way to keep the goose population in balance is to limit their nesting to wild areas. Nest tubs, that originally helped bring them back, should now be removed from residential lakes and ponds. Once tubs are down, do not feed giant Canada geese. Feeding encourages them to occupy areas that they previously would have ignored and makes them dependent on human handouts.

If geese are already accustomed to an area and are causing problems, please contact the Conservation Department for potential ways to address the issue.

Giant Canada geese present the most recent challenge for wildlife management. We want a healthy population of Canada Geese for all to enjoy.

A.J. Hendershott is an outreach and education regional supervisor with the Missouri Department of Conservation.