To effectively deter a flock of geese, employ a multi-faceted approach combining habitat modification, visual and auditory deterrents, and physical barriers.
Understanding Geese Behavior
Geese are often attracted to areas with easy access to food (like lush grass), water, and open sightlines that allow them to spot predators. Understanding these attractants is the first step in implementing successful deterrent strategies. Their presence can lead to property damage, excessive droppings, and potential safety hazards, particularly in public spaces or near airfields.
Effective Strategies for Goose Deterrence
Getting rid of geese typically involves a combination of non-lethal harassment and environmental changes to make an area less appealing. Persistence and varying techniques are key to preventing them from becoming accustomed to any single deterrent.
Habitat Modification
Altering the environment can significantly reduce the attractiveness of an area to geese, encouraging them to find more suitable habitats elsewhere.
- Reduce Food Sources: Avoid feeding geese. On properties like golf courses or parks, consider planting less palatable grass species or allowing existing grass to grow taller (6-10 inches), which makes it less desirable for grazing and can hinder goslings.
- Limit Water Access: If possible, install fencing or natural barriers around ponds, lakes, or retention areas that are often frequented by geese. Steep banks or dense vegetation along water edges can also make access more difficult for them.
- Create Visual Obstructions: Tall, dense plantings around water bodies or property perimeters can block geese's preferred clear line of sight, making them feel less secure from predators.
Harassment and Scaring Techniques
Consistent harassment is crucial to make an area feel unsafe for geese, prompting them to relocate.
- Loud Noises: Geese are wary of sudden, loud sounds.
- Pyrotechnics and Propane Cannons: These devices are highly effective for scaring geese away, especially in large, open areas like agricultural fields or airports where the loud blasts can cover a wide range.
- Air Horns: Manual air horns can be used for immediate, close-range dispersal.
- Distress Calls: Electronic playback devices broadcasting goose distress calls or predator calls can make an area seem dangerous.
- Visual Deterrents: Incorporate elements that geese perceive as threats.
- Predator Effigies: Place realistic decoys of natural predators like coyotes, foxes, or even swans around the property. Move them frequently to prevent geese from getting used to their presence.
- Reflective Objects: Mylar balloons, reflective tape, or CD danglers that shimmer and move in the wind can disorient and scare geese.
- Laser Pointers: Handheld lasers, specifically designed for wildlife dispersal (and used responsibly to avoid shining into eyes), can be effective at twilight or dawn to move geese off water or grass.
- Dogs: Trained border collies are exceptionally effective in hazing geese without harming them. Their herding instinct mimics a natural predator, making geese feel constantly threatened and driving them away.
Repellents
Certain repellents can make food sources unappealing or cause mild irritation, discouraging geese from lingering.
- Chemical Repellents: These products can be applied to grass or other vegetation to deter geese.
- They can be dispersed as a fog or sprayed on grass to keep geese away from high-priority areas like manicured lawns, athletic fields, or golf course greens.
- Many work by creating a bad taste or causing a mild, harmless irritation when ingested, prompting geese to seek food elsewhere.
- Taste Aversion: Some repellents contain active ingredients like methyl anthranilate, a food-grade substance derived from concord grapes that gives grass an unpleasant taste to geese.
Exclusion Methods
Physical barriers are a direct way to prevent geese from accessing specific areas.
- Fencing: Low-profile fencing (2-3 feet high) around lawns or water bodies can be enough to deter geese, as they prefer to walk rather than fly over obstacles to access feeding areas.
- Netting: Overhead netting can protect small, high-value areas like gardens from aerial access.
- Overhead Lines: Stringing monofilament lines or thin wires in a grid pattern over ponds can make landing difficult for geese, encouraging them to find other water sources.
Professional Intervention
For persistent issues, large flocks, or situations requiring specific permits (e.g., egg addling or nest removal), consulting a licensed wildlife control professional or your local USDA Wildlife Services office is recommended. They can provide tailored solutions and ensure all actions comply with federal and local wildlife protection laws.
Summary of Goose Deterrent Methods
| Method | Description | Best Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Habitat Modification | Removing food/shelter, planting tall grass | Long-term prevention in parks, golf courses |
| Loud Noises | Pyrotechnics, cannons, air horns | Airports, open fields, immediate dispersal |
| Chemical Repellents | Sprays/fogs on grass | High-priority lawns, specific turf areas |
| Visual Deterrents | Effigies, reflective tape, laser pointers | Small to medium areas, supplementing other methods |
| Dogs | Specially trained herding dogs | Large properties, golf courses, persistent flocks |
| Exclusion Methods | Fencing, netting, overhead lines | Protecting specific areas, preventing access |
Important Considerations
- Legality: Geese, particularly Canada Geese, are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, making it illegal to harm them, their nests, or their eggs without a permit. All deterrence methods must be non-lethal and humane.
- Persistence is Key: Geese are intelligent and will eventually ignore deterrents if they are not consistently applied or varied. Combining several methods often yields the best results.
- Early Intervention: It's easier to deter a small group of geese than a large, established flock. Implement strategies as soon as you notice their presence.
By implementing a combination of these methods, you can effectively encourage geese to relocate and prevent them from returning to your property.
