Lima Rotarians learn all they ever wanted to know about those pesky Canadian geese.
The breeding population of Canadian geese in Ohio exceeds 150,000, according to Allen County Wildlife Officer Craig Barr. He told us that Canadian geese are building their nests and laying their eggs right now and that makes them aggressive. He recommends avoiding the geese, and never feeding them. The average clutch size is 2-9 eggs, and most goslings will be hatched by May 15. Young geese are flightless until 8 - 9 weeks, and the family groups normally remain intact into autumn. A pair of geese can, in 5 to 7 years, easily become 50 to 100 birds. For those who have geese in their backyard ponds, it comes as no surprise that a goose can produce 1.5 pounds of poop every day. This excrement contains a wide variety of pathogens and should not be touched with bare hands. Barr says there are several ways to discourage geese from your property including allowing taller vegetation around ponds and barriers to keep the geese out, herding dogs, pyrotechnics and chemical repellents. There are also lethal ways to control geese which require permits from the state. Barr recommends a combination of methods as the most effective way to control the geese. Anyone with questions is welcome to contact Barr at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife Office in Findlay.