Did you know that the Canada goose is not native to the Haliburton region? Historically their nesting grounds were limited to the Arctic tundra, to the Western Prairies and to the grasslands and wetlands of southwest Ontario. They were nearly extinct 100 years ago because of overhunting and the drainage of wetlands. In the intervening years conservation efforts and government wildlife laws re-established their numbers in the millions.
Human settlement has also rapidly changed the once forested Ontario landscape to one of vast expanses of manicured grass, suburban sprawl and fields of corn and grain. With few predators and abundant food supply the exploding populations of Canada goose are overgrazing and despoiling the land and water. They are also taking over habitats once the preserve of native species of birds.
Geese leave large quantities of molted feathers and droppings, up to 2 kg per bird per day, which have health risks to humans and consequences for other species, the land and water. Competition for feeding and nesting material can also spread diseases such as botulism, cholera, or avian flu among geese. The habitat in our region did not evolve to support such a large bird species with its large brood and insatiable demand for food and space. The fragile ecosystem of the Canadian Shield is being negatively impacted by this large bird with a voracious appetite.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
Most animals are self-regulating and their population numbers will adjust to the habitat available. If you want to reduce the number of geese from the Highlands and restore species balance you need to make your property unattractive to them.The kindest and most effective way to do that is to change the landscape.They like to eat grass and they like wide open spaces so that they can keep an eye on any advancing predators. They are also suspicious of any shrubs that might provide cover for predators.
The first step is to plant a physical and visual barrier of shrubs along the water. A cost effective solution for a large area would be to use Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea) and Willow (Salix) cuttings purchased or taken from nearby plants in the very early spring. Ten to twelve inch cuttings can simply be stuck into the ground to a depth of 6”. The abundant rain and flooding of the riverbank will soon have them putting out roots. White Meadowsweet (Spirea alba) is readily available at nurseries and is another quick growing dense shrub to deter geese. For a year or so while your shrubs are maturing you’ll need a line with flags or flashing tape to prevent the geese from coming up out of the water onto your lawn. This barrier will only work for the 6 weeks, during July and August when the geese are molting and lose their flight feathers preventing them from flying. During the rest of the year they will simply fly over any barrier.
The second step at this stage is to interrupt the vast expanse of grass with shrubs, trees, and other plants, preferably native. A small grove of Pagoda Dogwood (Cornus alternifolia), a medium growing shrub with showy spring flowers and an open branch structure would be a good choice for any location. You could incorporate a snaking path to the water if access is required.
It may take 2-3 years to fully vegetate your waterfront to deter the geese. Geese like to return to the same nesting location year after year so you’ll have to be vigilant if you have nesting geese on
your property.
It may take you some time to adjust to the more natural look, but you’ll rejoice when you’ve succeeded at eliminating the Canada Geese who were fouling your property, polluting your water and ousting the smaller native birds.
IN BRIEF
1. Deprive geese of the grass that
they like to eat and obscure their line of sight with plants
2. Design a narrow zig zag shaped walking path to the water
3. Reduce grass, mow less often and add native plants
4. Plant a continuous 30” high band of dense native plants along the shoreline as deep as you can (20-30 feet deep recommended but anything will help). These plantings will provide a physical barrier and with reduced site lines the geese will fear predators and stay away.
5. Erect a temporary barrier of two rows of line or reflective scare tape until the vegetation fills in.
6. Encourage aquatic plants such as bulrushes and cattails that work to deter geese.
7. Plant trees and understory shrubs to obstruct their overhead line of sight.
Carolyn Langdon, Master Gardener 2023
References:
https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/migratory-bird-conservation/publications/handbook-managing-cackling-geese-southern/chapter-3.html#_toc070102
https://www.lesslawn.com/articles/article1034.html
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Canada_Goose/lifehistory