Canada geese Behavioral Modification in NJ, NY & CT
Canadian geese can be a nuisance, when they gather around businesses or populated areas. While it may become necessary to get rid of them, you also want to do it in a way that’s humane and cost-effective. For those reasons, many people choose to use behavior modification to get the geese to travel away from the area.
Humans Often Create the Problem
While behavior modification can be a great way to solve a problem with Canadian geese, it can also be responsible for creating the problem. When people take the time to feed the geese, they’re teaching the animal that this is a place where they can get food. Over time, geese will overpopulate the area, because they learn this area is where food is easily obtained, so banning the feeding of geese should always be your first priority.
Once geese learn to expect food in the area, it will be that much more challenging to train them to go elsewhere. For that reason, people who visit the area should be educated about the hazards associated with feeding Canadian geese. Additionally, enacting regulations prohibiting the feeding of animals on the property can go a long way toward solving the problem. If feeding continues, the property owners may wish to invest in fencing to keep visitors off of the property, or away from the areas where the geese populate.
Once you eliminate people as a source of food, geese will pick up on the fact that their readily available sources have dried up. Over time, this may reduce the population of Canadian geese visiting that particular area. While many will look for other areas where food sources are more plentiful, you may still have a problem. In that case, it will be time to look at the habitat
Change the Environment to Modify Canadian Geese Behavior
Another way to influence Canada geese behavioral modification is by changing the environment, making the habitat in which the geese populate less hospitable. For instance, Canadian geese need to travel away from the water to feeding areas, especially when they have to take care of their goslings. By planting shrubs or allowing grass to grow at least 18″ around the pond or stream, you can make this migration more difficult. You can also reduce the likelihood of predators attacking the geese, which can create a traumatizing scene for the public to witness.
Similarly, stone riprap can influence Canada geese behavioral modification. By placing stone riprap around the water, the geese will likely find another body of water to inhabit. The geese dislike walking across the stone, so they will act to avoid the experience in the future.
When you eliminate the possibility of people feeding the geese, they will turn to other food sources, such as the grass.
Again, you can modify this behavior by making the grass less appealing to the geese. By letting the grass grow and stopping or altering the use of fertilizer, you can change the taste and texture of the grass. While Canadian geese enjoy Kentucky bluegrass, they dislike tall fescue and will tend to avoid any grass that contains endophytic fungus. For this reason, replacing grass with periwinkle, Japanese pachysandra, or English Ivy may be your best options.
By implementing changes that affect the eating and swimming habits of Canadian geese, you can more effectively chase them away from the property.
If you have a problem with Canadian geese, consider enlisting the help of experienced professionals. We can give you a better grasp on how to handle the goose population problem in an efficient and humane manner. Contact us today for a consultation that can give you practical insight into resolving your problem with Canadian geese population control.
