Migrating geese flying in a V-formation overhead can be a thrilling sight; migrating geese on your property can be a nuisance. Moreover, not all geese are migratory. Ohio has resident geese in all 88 counties and some estimate the goose population in Ohio to be around 100,000. But geese on your property can cause more problems than just a noisy yard. Geese scare tactics, geese control products, and geese removal methods exist because geese can cause many other problems to the property where they live as well as the people and pets who live there. Here are five reasons to get rid of geese on your property:
Geese are Prolific and Indiscriminate Poopers
The average goose is a prodigious pooper. Canada geese poop every twenty minutes and they can produce up to 1.5 pounds of poop per day. This volume of goose feces can create an overwhelming smell and mess in a typical yard in a relatively short amount of time. But geese do not limit themselves to pooping on lawns; geese are equal opportunity poopers who will poop on asphalt, concrete, wood decks, water features, cars, and roofs. Goose poop is highly acidic and can damage automotive paint and other surfaces.
Geese Can Carry Disease
Geese are susceptible to the same bacterial infections that affect other birds, such as salmonella, E. coli, and listeria, and can transmit these bacteria to humans through their feces. Additionally, geese can carry the strain of bird flu which can infect humans. Geese can also carry parasites like cryptosporidium and giardia which can be passed to humans who come into contact with water contaminated with goose feces.
Geese Can Be Aggressive
When guarding a mate, a nest, or hatchlings, male geese can become physically aggressive. Geese attacks can include chasing, biting, and flapping. Geese who have been fed by humans or live near humans can become accustomed to being around humans and can be more prone to aggressive behavior. Geese scare tactics to move geese away from a particular area must take into account that aggressive geese have generally lost their fear of humans.
Geese Can Cause Car and Airplane Crashes
Large populations of geese lead to interactions not only with humans, but also with cars and airplanes. In one survey, in 1999, over 90 car crashes were caused by geese. Similarly, by some estimates, there are about 13,000 aircraft bird strikes every year. Almost 1,200 of these aircraft strikes involved geese. In fact, geese scare tactics and other geese control methods are employed by many airports to keep geese out of flight paths.
Geese Graze on Lawns
Geese are fairly unique among birds because they can live on a diet of grass. In fact, geese will almost continually eat grass because they digest grass so poorly. As one would expect, this grazing by geese has a severe impact on any golf course, park, or backyard where they live. Combined with the propensity of geese to defecate as they graze, geese can turn lawn into a barren, smelly mess.
Conclusion
Geese can be beautiful birds, but can also create many problems. They can cause car accidents, damage property, attack humans, and transmit diseases to people and their pets. The economic impact of nuisance geese can more than justify geese control methods, such as geese scare tactics and geese repellent. ')}