I have a Canada Goose problem and would like your help

Canada Geese

Canada Geese are not native to the UK. They are an introduced species and, like the Grey Squirrel, their numbers have grown rapidly since the 1950’s.

These birds are listed pests and when their local population grows too large, the reasons for this are all too plain to see: fouled grass and green water.

Most people don't mind a few and its a nice way of allowing humans to interact with wildlife in parks and leisure areas. However, they because they are not a native species, they have no native predators and their numbers increase rapidly at the expense of native wildfowl, water quality and the leisure amenity of the surrounding grassland.

Because they are grass feeders, they need to eat a lot of it in order to live. They are not ruminants like Cows so the need to eat lots of grass to extract small amounts of nutrients. This volume means their digestive system voids large amounts of excrement on the surrounding land where it befouls the grass and paths around and destroys the amenity for the park users.

In the water their fouling causes a drop in oxygen levels and an increase in free nutrients. This causes fish, invertebrates and pond plants to die and promotes algal blooms.

Control Methods

Microbee can control them by using various barrier systems to separate the water areas from the grazing areas so that the geese cannot transit easily between the two.

Microbee also promotes a habitat management system which, by clever use of planting and control of nearby grassland makes a location less attractive to Canada Geese.

It is possible, under license from DEFRA, to treat their eggs during the breeding season to prevent hatching and thus control numbers.

It is also possible to cull them by shooting & we can do this.

However, whilst this may solve immediate problems, we do not see this as a very satisfactory long-term solution and would prefer to promote one that restores a balance of wildlife and benefits all.

Microbee promotes a version of the "Geese Peace" program which sets out to manage problem populations in an ecologically friendly way. This program has been a successful solution in the USA and the UK. See: http://www.geesepeace.org/   and: http://www.stratfordsociety.co.uk/geese%20peace.htm

 We are happy to come and look at problems and discuss various management options with Landowners and Managers.

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