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For Immediate Release: March 4, 1998 EA98-23 |
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"It's a case where our success is coming back to haunt us," said Steve Wilds, Regional Chief of the Migratory Bird Program for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) in Minneapolis. The problem? Canada geese. It's not necessarily a problem of too many geese, but a problem of geese in the wrong locations--on lawns, beaches, in public parks, and near airport runways.
"Fifteen years ago there were probably only 5,000 Canada geese in the entire Twin Cities metro area," said Wilds, whose office at the Fort Snelling Federal Building overlooks the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport. "Now we've got 25,000 geese; and they're causing problems."
At issue are resident Giant Canada geese, as opposed to their Artic-nesting brethren. Once rare, Giant Canadas are one of several different Canada goose subspecies which frequent the Midwest. As residential and lakeshore development increased throughout America's urban areas, goose population dynamics also changed. In the early '60s, it was estimated there were only 50,000 Giant Canadas left in all of North America. Now, that figure stands at over two million birds in just the eastern U.S. alone. By comparison, migratory Canada geese across the continent only increased from 1.8 to 3 million birds during that same period.
It is easy to see why the resident birds have flourished. From a goose's point of view, our lakeshore lawns, parks, and golf courses--offering short, succulent, open water, and few predators--provide ideal habitat for feeding and loafing. But there are problems. As many urban residents know, these range from "deposits" made on lawns, sidewalks and parkways to outright attacks on people as the geese defend nests and goslings during the nesting season.
A more ominous threat also looms--the possibility of goose/airplane collisions near urban airports, which have become increasingly popular goose resting spots. It is a threat airport authorities and the Service takes seriously. In 1995, 24 people died in the crash of a Boeing 707 jet aircraft after it collided with Canada geese on take-off from the Elmendorf Air Force Base near Anchorage, Alaska. During the same year a Concorde jet lost two engines after smacking several geese while on final approach at JFK International, and a similar incident occurred at La Guardia. Estimates by the FAA put the goose strike number at about 240 annually, resulting in millions of dollars in damage.
Collisions between feathered and man-made flying machines are not a new problem. "This is a problem we've been working on for many years," says Service Migratory Bird Permits Specialist Marlys Bulander, who also works out of the Fort Snelling office. Part of Bulander's responsibilities involve reviewing permit applications to "take" migratory birds. "Take" in this case means shooting, killing, trapping, capturing or collecting the birds--or attempting to do so.
Some of the permits Bulander issues go to states or municipalities to deal with specific goose problems, like "airport" geese. Other permits go to institutions for research purposes, where scientific studies are underway which examine goose reproduction and possible reproduction inhibitors.
The Service also helps evaluate the selection of new airport sites or modifications to existing airports for potential wildlife hazards, including the potential for bird/aircraft collisions. Do you wonder what would happen if a bird were to strike the wing of your passenger jet, or be ingested into the engine? It is a question that has been answered many times by aircraft manufacturers, who conduct these types of tests regularly when designing new aircraft. (The answer is that most modern aircraft are designed to withstand the impact or ingestion of a single 1-3 pound bird. However, multiple strikes, or strikes from large birds, can be very dangerous.)
The permitting system used by the Service is authorized under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and covers many species of birds. "The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is responsible for managing all migratory birds with the exception of English Sparrows, Starlings, feral pigeons and upland game birds," says Bulander, "so permits are needed for any activity which might impact migratory birds; not only geese but ducks, raptors, gulls, woodpeckers and even song birds."
This program allows the Service to work with individuals and local communities to manage migratory birds and deal with the problems they can sometimes cause. While the agency has broad authority to issue permits for all migratory birds; in recent years, much of the workload has centered on the problems caused by urban Canada geese. It is a big job. In addition to problems at airports, Bulander has also documented numerous cases where geese have attacked and injured humans.
"There's a need to really actively manage our goose populations in metropolitan areas," says Migratory Birds Chief Wilds. "Not just here, but across the country. Our urban Canada goose populations are at a point now where they've become a nuisance and, in certain cases, a safety hazard. So far we've been successful working with local governments, state wildlife authorities and airport managers to keep these populations under control. But goose populations continue to rise and; once geese establish themselves in an area, they can be very difficult to convince they should spend their time elsewhere."
Goose control measures have included "hazing" or frightening the birds with vehicles, noisemakers, falcons, and dogs; the use of electric fencing; the use of flags or balloons to discourage geese from landing; live capture and relocation; and lethal controls.
Catching the geese and relocating them has been used effectively for many years. In mid-summer adult geese molt, losing their old flight feathers and growing new ones--effectively rendering the birds flightless for a few weeks. During this period, both the adults and juvenile birds can be trapped and transported away from problem areas. Juvenile birds "imprint" on the area where they fledge, or first learn to fly, so transplanting these birds to different areas during this time ensures that they will return to these new areas during each subsequent spring migration.
While effective in removing problem geese, relocation to other areas has proven to be a short-term solution. The reason: The market for Giant Canada geese has been saturated--every state wildlife agency which wanted geese now has them; and they do not want any more.
Given a choice, Wilds says the Service would rather employ non-lethal methods of goose control. Unfortunately, while such methods are effective in the short-term, in the long run they generally just serve to move problem birds from one area onto another, where the same problems occur. This has forced the agency to explore lethal control options.
Lethal control measures have taken different forms. One of the most successful has been hunting. Working with state wildlife departments, the Service has authorized special goose hunting seasons. These seasons are designed to take place early in the hunting season before the migration of non-resident birds begins or late in the season once most migrating birds have passed through. Liberal bag limits combined with generally good hunting conditions and a highly palatable end result have made the hunts popular with waterfowlers. In some cases, the hunts have also generated new economic benefits as guide services have formed to serve this "off-season" clientele.
Another popular option is the food shelf program, administered by state authorities under a Service permit. Here, captured geese are processed, frozen, and donated to area food shelves, where they are provided at no cost to needy families.
"It's a win-win program," says Wilds. "The urban goose populations are held in check, and local residents benefit directly. It's been very well-received by most people."
The food shelf program is not without its opponents however. Both the Service and cooperating state wildlife agencies have been criticized by animal rights groups for incorporating the food shelf program into their urban goose management strategies.
But Service Regional Director Bill Hartwig of the Minneapolis office stands by the goose control program, including lethal methods like processing the birds for local food shelves. "We've got a very active and effective migratory bird permit program in our region, and the food shelf program is an important part of it," said Hartwig, adding he feels the program provides a good balance between common sense and effective wildlife management.
"Let me be clear," he continued. "No organization takes the welfare of wild animals more seriously that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. But while we need to protect our animals, we also need to address human safety concerns. The story of our Giant Canada geese is a very positive one, and I'd much rather deal with the problem of having too many than too few. For now, we'll continue to do what's necessary to keep urban goose populations at a safe, acceptable level."
Although all goose permit applications from the state wildlife agencies are considered on a case-by-case basis, Hartwig expects to support state food shelf programs for urban geese again in 1998.
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