The result of this new population shift is a no holds barred grudge match between goose and man over turf, and these geese don't mess around when it comes to making their presence felt. The Canada geese settle on private ponds, golf courses, commercial retention ponds, community recreation areas and dig in. Each goose leaves behind more than a pound of waste daily, which creates the potential for environmental problems and risks to human health. Geese are also noisy and can display aggressive behavior, particularly during their nesting cycle, which occurs in the spring.
Once geese have established themselves, especially after laying their eggs, it may be difficult to get any long-term relief. However, there are several geese management options available to those ready to take on the urban menace.
Coyote silhouettes or "cutouts" and floating lights are today's most popular products being marketed. The sales pitch? Geese don't like dogs. I would take it a step further and say that geese don't like predators, and although it is evident that the coyote cutout looks like a coyote to a person, there is nothing that would indicate that to the geese. Once mounted on the stake and spring, the cutout flaps wildly in the wind. Although this seems to be a selling point, these cutouts take away from an area's aesthetics and the birds will quickly figure out the dog is a fake. As for the floating lights that are supposed to simulate the eye reflection of a predator, these too are ineffective. The geese have adapted to living in urban sprawl. The empty threat of a yellow light or silhouette of a dog flouncing around on a stick does not long hold the geese at bay, if at all.
These ineffective deterrents are the cheap option, even though they can cost up to a few hundred dollars. With our faltering economy, a few hundred lost on a gimmick is keenly felt both in our pocket books and level of satisfaction. Unfortunately, these items seem to be what a majority of people looking for answers to their goose dilemma reach for first.
A good management program is more about maintenance rather than the quick fix, which is something government officials consider and what might be why we haven't seen coyote cutouts or floating lights in our community parks. Instead, progressive, viable and humane options are being pursued to stage sustainable long-term assaults on the alien birds.
The answer is Border Collies. These dogs are an effective way to address the issue of turf terror delivered by the geese. They are well trained and, in action, are motivated by the movement of the birds and with the help of their handlers, herd and drive the geese off the property without causing harm.
Geese don't like dogs. A coyote cutout is not a dog. A floating light is not a predator. A well-trained Border Collie is a dog, and, to a goose, a real threat. It is the only effective option for geese deterrence.
