by CJ Grant

Created on: May 20, 2008

Canada Geese: Overpopulation, the causes and humane ways to deal with the issue

Not long ago, rarely could one look up into the sky and see a perfect V-shaped formation of Canadian geese flying overhead. In the sixties, these almost extinct birds excited even an indoor enthusiast with the sheer glimpse of a passing flock. Today the Canada geese population has risen to great numbers in our state and a pressing controversy between landowners and animal rights activists builds regarding how to control the population of Canada Geese.

For years, different states bred and imported Canada geese after they were thought to be extinct in most of the United States in the 1920's. By this time in our history, many aquatic birds in our area were also thought to be extinct and great measures like the Migratory Bird Treaty Act were enacted in hopes that the wildlife would once again return. It has taken a great deal of time, but in over eighty years now we are blessed with the sights of many of our water fowl returning and thriving in our streams, ponds, lakes, and rivers. Like our some of our privileged ancestors before us, we can see many of the birds that were indigenous to our area when it was pristine. Unlike our ancestors though, we are seeing a new breed of Canada geese, the "resident" Canada geese that have resulted in our relentless battle to overcome their possible extinction.
In contrast to migrant Canada geese, this new breed does not fly north for the summer to breeding grounds in Canada and Alaska, but rather, they stay within a general 100-200 miles from where they were originally born. This phenomenon has occurred after these great birds were kept in captivity while the flocks were being re-established. Because migration is a learned behavior, many of the Canada geese never learn to migrate or find the need to travel the 2-3 thousand miles that migratory geese fly.
According to experts, another reason for the new behavior that resulted in "resident" Canada geese stems from the fact that "migrant" Canada geese and "resident" Canada geese rarely ever interbreed. The females prefer nesting where they were born. The nesting grounds between "resident" geese and "migrant" geese vary so greatly in distance, and because they mate for life, these two breeds seldom have the chance to intermingle. Studies also show that the only time a migrant Canada goose will stay behind is when it is injured. The results of all of these factors have populated many states to what some

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