6 Simple Tips To Avoid Problems With Canada Geese

DETROIT (WWJ) - Love them or hate them, we've all heard the familiar honk of geese on a summer morning.

Perhaps one of the most recognizable birds in Michigan is the large, regal-looking Canada goose. Once a rare sight in the Great Lakes State, Canada geese now are very plentiful in the state, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources says, so plentiful that some people tend to think of them as pests.

With that in mind, the DNR wants to remind Michiganders that — with a little patience, understanding and perseverance — homeowners can learn to respect and appreciate these beautiful birds

These six simple tips can help keep geese away from your yard:  

• Make your yard less attractive to geese by allowing the grass to grow long and refrain from fertilizing or watering it.
• Use scare tactics like bird-scare balloons, loud noises and mylar tape to make unwanted geese leave the area.
• Apply repellents to the lawn to deter geese from feeding on the grass. Grape concentrate is useful for yards and turf.
• In June and July, Canada geese are unable to fly because they are molting. Construct a temporary barrier between your yard and the water to keep flightless geese out.
• Do not feed Canada geese. Artificial feeding can habituate them as well as harm their digestive system. Bread products are not beneficial to waterfowl survival.
• Be aware of your surroundings when visiting parks and areas near water. Canada geese are protective of their nests and hatchlings. Do not disturb them or get too close.

Because they are so abundant, the DNR says many would never suspect that the giant Canada goose subspecies nearly was extinct in the 1950s because of unregulated overhunting and wetland habitat loss.

In recent years, the giant Canada goose has experienced population explosions in areas throughout North America due, in part, to the success of wildlife management programs and the adaptability of these birds. In Michigan today, the DNR says number of giant Canada geese counted each spring is well over 300,000. They nest in every Michigan county, but are most common in the southern third of the state, where 78 percent of the goose population is found.

Geese are herbivores and prefer grass shoots, aquatic vegetation, seed heads and various grains. Adult Canada geese have very few predators.

"In general, geese have benefited from the way humans have altered the landscape," said Holly Vaughn, DNR wildlife communications coordinator. "Canada geese are attracted to areas that provide food, water and protection. Urban and suburban areas with lakes and ponds and neatly manicured lawns offer all the resources that geese need to survive."

Learn more from the DNR about Canada geese in Michigan at this link.