Why Canada Geese Have A Bad Reputation

If you have not had a run in with one of these birds then it is highly likely that you know someone who has one time or another. It can happen just about anywhere that they are, whether that be next to a lake, or at a farm, or even in your own back yard. Many people are surprised at the speed at which this can happen; for instance, one minute you can be looking at the bird, taking in its beauty, and the next minute it is coming right for you, with its wings flapping and making a honking noise. 

It is no surprise then that Canada Geese have such a bad reputation for being aggressive birds. One reason why there are so many incidents between the birds and humans is because of how good they are after finding needed resources, such as food, within urban spaces. With more coming into contact with humans, it is only expected that more altercations will take place. This is especially true when the birds have their young with them or when they are nesting. The squawking and wing flapping that they do when you get too close to their space is by no means an empty threat and can result in broken bones, noses, and in the worst very worst case scenario, even deaths.

Not All Bad

With all of that said, there are some situations in which Canada Geese can be gentle creatures. Anyone that has spent any considerable amount of time with these birds will know that they are, in fact, very compatible with humans, treating them with a great deal of gentleness. It is only on rare occasions that they act aggressively towards the humans that they encounter, which is mainly during nesting season as a means of protecting their young. 

Towards their fellow birds, Canada Geese can be aggressive, chasing them away in order to protect their own territory.

Overly Protective Parents

Canada Geese are highly protective of their young and will do whatever it takes to stop anyone from messing with or hurting them. The problem is that they often build their nests close to where humans live and / or work and so they get used to seeing and interacting with people. This is especially true given that people enjoy feeding them. As a result of this, they are not scared to approach a human and attack them if they feel that it is necessary to.

The breeding instincts that these birds have are some of the strongest of the entire animal kingdom. During the nesting season, it is the job of the female (the gander) to protect the nest and the eggs inside of it at all costs. This means that if a person happens to go anywhere near their nest, it will make a noise as a warning before then chasing them away. The more aggressive Canada Geese will not stop chasing the human away until they have fully removed them from the territory near their nest. 

What To Do When Canada Geese Attack

Regardless of whether you have internationally agitated the bird or not, attacks by Canada Geese can happen. For instance, you may accidentally stumble across a gander with her young and make her very uneasy. Where this happens and the bird attacks, try to do the following things:

• Keep eye contact at all times anss ensure that your face and chest are kept pointed in the direction of the bird.
• Slowly and very calmly back away without making any sudden or large movements.
• Maintain a natural demeanour, which includes no screaming or yelling, or any other type of hostile behaviour, such as kicking out at the bird.

To avoid such a situation arising on your property, you should invest in a goose deterrent that actually works.

Canada Geese Numbers

Some of the leading biologists believe that there are too many Canada Geese and that this can have an impact on the overall health of the species, as well as on the wider environment. The only way of actually dealing with the issues of there being too many of these birds is by humanely culling some of them or stopping them from being able to reproduce. 

One of the reasons why their numbers swell is due to the fact that they can live for so long – approximately thirty years in some cases. Some can live even longer than that when residing in those areas that are more suburban and have plenty of food sources, and away from potential bird hunters that could shoot them.

Interesting Facts About Canada Geese

There is a lot more to these large birds than the bad behaviour that they are more commonly known for. For instance, they are completely monogamous animals that choose a partner during their second year of life and stick with them for the rest of their life. Because of this, they inevitably become well adjusted with their partner and so are experts at coordinating tasks and jobs when growing their young.

The reason why they produce so much poop is because Canada Geese quickly digest grass because their digestive system is designed in a way to fully optimize this process. As a result, the food that they eat comes out the other end as quickly as thirty minutes later. In order to be able to extract the best nutrients from the grass that they eat, they opt for the freshest and mist green stuff that they can find, which explains why their poop is so green when it comes out.

Whilst some Canada Geese do migrate form a certain part of the year, others stay in one spot the entire year through. The reason for this is because they know exactly where they can get their food from and how to steer clear of danger. Whilst those birds that migrate return to roughly the same area each year, it does not necessarily mean that they come back to the exact spot where they were before.