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At long last the dreaded molting season is coming to an end and geese are once again, taking to the air.
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I say, "dreaded molting season" because if there is one curse on Canada geese, it is that for six weeks of the year they are incapable of flight and thus become easy targets for not only USDA WS slaughters, but shootings in other parts of the country, as well as an endless barrage of negative press articles.
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Two very recent examples of negative press articles are below:
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The first article, "Neighbors Upset Over Killing of Geese in Public Park" is self-explanatory and unfortunately, all too common. Two dozen geese shot to death in a Kentucky park without notification to or input from the community. Once again, the same old excuses and fear mongering, (geese are a "health threat") and once again, a bewildered and distraught public whose complaints will be easily dismissed and blown off.
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The second article, "Geese Honk at Lights Designed to Scare Them Away" is however, more complex and quite frankly baffling. While geese were not targeted for slaughter in this Texas park, they have been continually subjected to harassment with laser lights and noise cannons. Town officials are perplexed with why the harassment methods "did not work to scare the geese away." (They are apparently demanding money back from lighting company.)
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Apparently, officials did not know and were not informed of the six week molting period in which geese cannot fly anywhere -- even if one were to hurl H-bombs at them!
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One can only shake one's head when realizing the amount of ignorance and myths out there concerning these constantly maligned birds and the seeming unwillingness to actually do some research and learn basic biology.
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Another myth that prevails despite overwhelming evidence against it is the contention that geese "stay in a location because people feed them."
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There is no doubt that (like humans and other animals) geese greatly enjoy treats that are offered to them by occasional humans. Add to that, their general sociability and trust with humans and it might appear that (especially during the molt) geese are "overstaying their welcome" because of human feeders.
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But, the fact is that geese are not now nor have they ever been, dependent upon humans for food.
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As mostly vegetarians, geese have to consume large amounts of plant and aquatic foods to survive. They literally eat throughout most of the day (except when nesting or "hunkering down" through particularly severe weather). Unless humans were feeding them 24/7 or a goose is injured and flightless, there is little way for geese to become entirely dependent upon humans for their sustenance and survival.
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Yet, there are many communities that wrongly believe that it is human feeders who are responsible for an alleged "overpopulation" of geese and that all that is necessary to "manage" goose population is to criminalize the feeding of them.
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But, "No Feeding" policies have little if any impact at all upon goose populations and when these inevitably fail, too many communities (such as Mill Creek Park in Ohio) contract with USDA WS for goose slaughter. Controlled kill conducted on Canada geese at Mill Creek Park | WKBN.com
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As the evidence shows time and time again (as it has in Central Park, NYC) the methods that effectively work to limit and contain goose populations are, habitat modification, harassment with Border Collies, egg addling and some presence of natural egg predators, such as raccoons. (Anyone reading this blog on a regular basis will know I have personally complained about these policies in fact, working too well in CP causing fear that our Central Park resident goose population might be eliminated entirely within ten years due to attrition of aging geese.)
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The bottom line to all this is that (whether fed or not by humans), when the dreaded molt season finally ends and geese regain their flight feathers, most of them are happily off to the skies and new challenges awaiting them according to their biological clock and drives.
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In fact, yesterday morning when going to the Reservoir in Central Park, at least half of the 25 geese there during the molt had apparently packed their newly feathered wings and taken off. Whether that was to simply "pond hop" and test out their wings or actually leave Central Park for the remainder of the summer is not yet known, but for sure, some are starting to leave the molt location now. Some geese may temporarily return, but most won't -- until next year.
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In summary, the geese can finally enjoy a few weeks out of the year of relative peace and serenity. USDA WS goose slaughters are temporarily ended. The whining and hysterical articles about "goose poop" and "health threats" will begin to abate. And in most locations, harassment has yet to begin again.
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But, rest assured the respite is only very temporary.
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Next month, (August), "early goose hunting seasons" begin in many locations. Stayed tuned for all the "fun" outdoors columns on those.
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And finally, pity the geese that they have so few weeks out of the entire year to actually relax and catch their breaths.
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But thankfully, these upcoming few weeks are among them. -- PCA
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