When do canadian geese lay eggs

Salt said the reason Canada geese often lay their eggs on roofs is to keep their young from becoming dinner. You don't see skunks climbing three or four storeys just to get goose eggs," he said. Salt said he's seen baby Canada geese jump from storey apartment buildings and survive. The reason they do is because their body mass is so light, they often bounce. Waterfowl are monogamous and solitary nesters. They nest within feet of open water, usually directly adjacent to the water along the edge of a pond.

In New Jersey, nesting occurs in mid-April. Egg laying follows immediately after the nest is constructed; an egg is laid about every two days. A typical clutch is made up of 4 to 7 eggs. The female does all the incubation and the male is the defender of the female and the nest, striking anyone with its wings and by nipping.

Information is also available from farm supply centers. Most home improvement centers carry suitable units. Consult your local zoning office and neighborhood covenants to determine if electric fences are permitted where you live.

In places with large numbers of geese, and where funding is available, newly planted areas can be entirely enclosed in netting for the first few growing seasons. Photo from People for Puget Sound. A grid or network of multiple parallel lines of wire, stainless-steel cable, twine, rope, or monofilament 50 pound test stretched 1 to 2 feet above a water body or other area will create a flight hazard and deter geese. There should be no more than 5 feet of space between lines.

If humans need to access the area under the grid, the grid can be installed high enough to accommodate them. To prevent geese from walking under the grid, install a perimeter fence as described earlier. Attach separate lines to each vertical support do not run the same length of wire through the entire grid so that you will not have to rebuild the entire grid should one line break. Wherever two grid wires cross, tie the lines together to prevent rubbing and possible line breakage. In places with large numbers of geese, and where funding is available, newly planted areas can be entirely enclosed in netting for the first few growing seasons Fig.

A netted room built high enough to allow access for maintenance can be constructed using wooden vertical supports sunk in the ground, horizontal steel cable supports, and heavy-duty bird netting.

Such netting is commercially available from companies that specialize in bird control. Previously used bird netting may be available from habitat restoration companies, as well as used gill netting from fisherman and fish hatcheries. The cost of new netting makes seeking out an alternative worthwhile.

Where long runs of steel cable are being installed to support netting, each line should get a separate length of cable, fitted at one end with an eyebolt, and at the other end with a turnbuckle. This will allow the cable tension to be adjusted or the cable to be removed if needed. The netting can be attached to the cable with nylon string, wire, or hog rings. Hog rings and a special tool to attach the rings are recommended for large projects.

Note: All grids, netting, and fencing material should be regularly monitored for holes, trapped wildlife, sagging, and overall effectiveness. Harassment and scare tactics are used to frighten Canada geese away from feeding, loafing, and resting areas where they are unwanted.

Because of this, and to take advantage of geese being neophobic fearful of novel objects , two important rules are: 1 never rely solely on one tactic, and 2 vary the use by altering the timing and location. Harassment and frightening devices are only as effective as the person deploying them. Harassment and scare devices are available from the Internet, at over-the-counter bird-control businesses, and at some farm and garden centers.

Eyespot Balloons Like most birds, geese rely more on vision than on their other senses to avoid danger, and so visual stimuli can be effective. Commercially available eyespot balloons are large, helium-filled balloons with a large, eye-like images.

Large colored spots on three sides of any helium balloon can suggest eyes. Tether balloons on a to foot monofilament line attached to a stake or heavy object.

The balloons should be located where the wind will not tangle them in trees and utility lines, and should be repositioned at least once per day. Two balloons should be adequate for an average size yard.

Flag designs using a large plastic garbage bag on a pole. Note the wooden battens installed to prevent the flags from ripping. Flags and streamers work best in areas where there is a steady wind.

A simple flag design uses plastic garbage bags mounted on tall poles Fig. In addition, mylar tape can be made into 6-foot streamers and attached to the top of 8 foot long poles. Mylar tape is silver on one side, usually red on the other, and is very shiny and reflective. A disadvantage of Mylar tape is that it is only effective in bright sunlight and wind.

Poles with flags and streamers should be repositioned once per day. Scarecrows Scarecrows are only effective where geese view humans as dangerous predators, such as rural areas where they are hunted. Scarecrows can be made out of almost any material; however, the design should include movement, bright colors red, blaze orange, or safety yellow , and large eyes.

For maximum effect, the arms and legs should move in the wind, and the scarecrow should be moved once per day. Geese occasionally will find a swimming pool an acceptable area.

Large, blow-up toy snakes are reported to work as a type of scarecrow. Simply buy two or three of these, add weights sinkers , and put them in the pool. Streamers made of mylar tape may also work if strung across the landing zone. Noisemaking Devices Devices that make a loud bang can scare geese, causing them to take flight.

Promptness beginning as soon after the geese arrive as possible and persistence are the keys to success when using these devices. Types of noisemakers include propane cannons, blanks, and whistle bombs. Propane cannons are stationary devices that explode propane gas at irregular intervals. Shell crackers and whistle bombs are shells that are fired from a shotgun or special pistol. When fired they either scream for a distance of 50 yards, or explode.

Pyrotechnics should only be used by skilled individuals who understand the dangers that these tools can pose. Loud auditory tactics generally require permits from area police departments and may be restricted in urban areas because of noise ordinances. When such devices are used, it is important that all organizations involved in the process be kept in communication.

In addition, the surrounding neighborhood should be advised of what the process is trying to accomplish. The more geese are exposed to these fear-provoking stimuli, the faster they will become accustomed to them and ignore them. For this reason, noisemakers should be used sparingly, and propane cannons should be set so that they fire only a couple of times per hour. The lower power levels, directivity, accuracy over distance, and silence of laser devices make them safe and effective species-specific alternatives to noisemaking devices.

Recent research conducted by the National Wildlife Research Center indicates that relatively low-power, long-wavelength lasers provide an effective means of dispersing geese, gulls, crows, and ravens under low light conditions, while presenting no threat to the animal or the environment Fig.

Although researchers are not sure if birds see the same red spot as people, it is clear that in certain bird species the spot of laser light elicits an avoidance response. The birds view the light as a physical object or predator coming toward them and generally fly away to escape. Note: Lasers should never be aimed in the direction of people, roads, or aircraft. At the time of writing, the cost of a laser device is still quite high.

Check with dealers through the Internet and over the counter at bird-control businesses for current prices and instructions for use. Dogs When directed by a handler, dogs are the method of choice for large open areas such as golf courses, airports, parks, agricultural fields, and corporate parks. In residential areas, parks with continuous public use, areas bisected by roadways, and large water bodies, dog use may not be appropriate.

Results are often immediate. After an aggressive initial use several times a day for one or two weeks , geese get tired of being harassed and will use adjacent areas instead. A dog can be tethered to a long lead which may require relocating the dog and tether frequently to cover more area , be allowed to chase and retrieve a decoy thrown over a large flock of geese, or be periodically released to chase the birds if this is not against leash laws.

While the wolflike gaze of border collies is frightening to geese, these dogs rarely harm them. Other breeds of dogs can also do the job. It is recommended that they be from proven working stock, preferably with prior experience with or exposure to live animals, particularly birds. Chemical Repellents Taste-aversion products and other chemical repellents are unobtrusive, may be applied directly to the problem area, and will not permanently harm the geese.

Drawbacks to repellents include the high costs of covering large areas, the need for frequent application in rainy areas and during the growing season, odors associated with the few registered products, and their negative influence on the behavior of other wildlife. If geese have used the area in the past, apply repellent before their return. Carefully read and follow all label and technical directions.

If the above nonlethal control efforts are unsuccessful and the damage situation persists, lethal control may be an option. Lethal control techniques include legal hunting, shooting out of season by permit, egg destruction by permit, and euthanasia of adults by government officials.

Figure 3. The V-shaped flight formation allows each trailing bird to receive lift from the wingtip vortex of the bird in front of it, saving energy and greatly extending the range of a flock of birds over that of a bird flying alone. Figure 4. Some common displays of Canada geese. Figure 7. Evolutionarily, Canada geese are tundra nesters that prefer to congregate on low vegetation adjacent to open water.

Photo by Sunny Walter. Canada geese are not considered to be a significant source of any infectious disease transmittable to humans or domestic animals, although their droppings are increasingly cited as a cause for concern in controlling water quality in municipal lakes and ponds.