Canada Geese In Massachusetts

Perhaps no sound more clearly evokes an image of wildness than the honking of migrating geese. Canada geese have passed through Massachusetts on their journeys to and from their arctic breeding grounds for centuries. Previous to the 1930's, it was unusual for geese to nest here, yet today in Massachusetts you can find Canada geese any time of the year. In fact, in some areas, people feel that there are too a number of geese! Why the change?.

Description
Canada geese are large birds, averaging 10-14 pounds. Among waterfowl (ducks, geese & swans) of North America, Canada geese are second only to swans in size. Their long black neck and white cheek markings are especially distinctive.

Life History
The Canada goose is a grazer. Geese form permanent pair bonds, but if one bird dies, the other will seek a new mate in the next breeding season. Most Canada geese don't begin nesting until they are three years old. Adult females lay 4-6 eggs in a clutch. If the clutch is destroyed, geese generally don't re-nest, but with two large birds guarding a nest, the chances of success are good. Commonly by the time the young are 4-6 weeks old, the broods begin gathering in large flocks. Non-breeders and yearlings form separate flocks. By fall, they all gather into one large flock for the winter. In Massachusetts, there are two different populations of Canada geese. The first is the migratory population which passes through in the spring and fall. Massachusetts is one of a number of resting areas for these migrating birds. The second is the resident population: descendants of captive geese used by waterfowl hunters. When live decoys were outlawed in the 1930s, a number of captive birds were liberated. With no pattern of migration, these geese began nesting. Lawns at houses, golf courses and mowed parks, well-watered, fertilized and bordering water, provided an excellent source of food. In suburban areas, there were few predators. The habitat for grazers waccording tofect.

In the 1960s and early '70s a "translocation" project carried out by MassWildlife involved moving birds from the coast into central and western Massachusetts to the applause of both hunters and non-hunters. No one imagined the population explosion which followed. With the above factors and town-imposed restrictions on hunting, resident goose flocks grew. In 1983, MassWildlife biologists estimated 10-12,000 of the geese were probably year-round residents. By 1997, survey estimated 38,000 geese statewide. As goose numbers increased, so did problems, particularly with goose droppings (poop). Canada geese produce from half pound to a pound and half of droppings per day. Now geese are on golf courses, in gardens, over shellfish beds, on lawns, beaches, water supplies and cranberry bogs. What can be done?.



Posted by: Kelly    Source