Open areas along water bodies provide good foraging habitat (geese consume aquatic vegetation), and geese can quickly seek refuge from danger by fleeing to the water.

divaricata) instead of mowed turf will reduce the quality of the landscape as a food resource.Īppropriate management of shorelines and can also deter occupancy by geese. If tall vegetation is not feasible, planting a native groundcover (e.g., shrubby fivefingers, Sibbaldiopsis tridentata creeping phlox, Phlox subulata wild blue phlox, P. Geese will generally avoid tall vegetation because they cannot detect predators easily. Where possible, replace turf lawn with tall native vegetation, such as warm-season grasses (e.g., switchgrass, Panicum virgatum Indian grass, Sorghastrum nutans) or a mix of perennial wildflowers. See Rutgers Cooperative Extension fact sheet FS1214, 'Canada Goose Ecology and Impacts in New Jersey' for detailed information.īecause geese prefer to forage on short, nutrientrich vegetation in open areas, the well-manicured and fertilized lawns typical of corporate campuses, residential properties, and golf courses are extremely attractive and rewarding. Understanding goose behavior and habitat preferences can help landowners manage their properties to reduce their attractiveness to Canada geese. In general, geese are grazing animals that prefer open spaces adjacent to water bodies with unvegetated shorelines. In addition, bread and other human foods are nutritionally inadequate for geese and may cause them health problems. An important point to convey to the public when implementing waterfowl feeding prohibitions is that aggregations of goose feces may pose both a human and an environmental health risk. Removing this reliable food source will help reduce Canada geese flocks in public areas. Municipal ordinances, educational materials, and signage can help to dissuade people from feeding geese in public spaces. One of the most straightforward management strategies is to avoid attracting to an area. Lethal methods are suggested in some cases to reinforce non-lethal measures. The USFWS, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the NJDFW recommend that non-lethal methods be attempted first as part of an integrated Canada goose management plan. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and NJDFW, depending on which strategy is being employed. Permits for goose population management are available from both the U.S. Despite the behavioral differences between the two groups, all Canada geese are protected under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act and regulated in the state by the N.J. These resident Canada geese remain in New Jersey year-round and breed in the early spring. (see NJAES fact sheet FS1214, 'Canada Goose Ecology and Impacts in New Jersey' for further details). Legal Status of Canada GeeseĬanada geese are traditionally migratory waterfowl however, release of captive geese in the 1930s led to the formation of a non-migratory group in the eastern U.S. No strategy is completely effective therefore, combining these methods in an integrated approach will maximize effectiveness. Here we present several strategies for the regulation of the New Jersey resident Canada goose population. While Canada geese do contribute to our state's biodiversity and are part of our cultural heritage, reducing the population size to historic levels has many benefits for both humans and wildlife. A lack of natural predators and high-quality food resources have greatly increased survival, throwing the population out of balance with the ecosystem that supports it. In New Jersey, the resident Canada goose population exceeds 80,000 individuals (based on 2012 surveys), far greater than historic numbers. Intolerable levels of negative human-goose interactions, including agricultural damage, habitat degradation, aircraft strikes, and environmental contamination, make managing resident goose populations a necessity. has significant negative impacts on both ecosystem and human health. The overabundance of resident Canada geese ( Branta canadensis) in the eastern U.S.

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