Geese are aggressive and territorial birds. If they are nesting or congregating around your lake, they can disturb lake-goers, even up to the point of frightening pets and young children.
In addition to this, geese often host diseases and parasites. Their droppings spread disease on the grass and this flows into the water. They also produce a lot of droppings: up to a pound a day per goose.
So, what are some ways you can get rid of geese on a lake?
The first thing to do to reduce the amount of geese on a lake is to remove their food sources. Primarily, this means stop people from feeding the geese. People often find the birds amusing and like to feed them while they are at the lake.
This is a bad idea, however, and will cause the geese to come back in greater numbers and start to disturb people at the lake. If this is happening, put up a sign and remind people to not feed the geese.
It's not always possible to remove all goose food sources because geese also eat natural food at the lake like grass and plants. We don't want to have to remove all the grass on the lake to prevent geese from coming back. There is a way to prevent geese from eating grass, however, and it is called methyl anthranilate.
Methyl anthranilate is a chemical used in grape flavoring for candies and sodas. If applied to grass and other areas where geese are eating plants, geese will be deterred from feeding on them. They just don't like the taste or smell.
Methyl anthranilate is harmless to birds and humans. When used in a lake it should not be applied directly into the water, but a little bit of runoff from the grass is okay. This will deter geese from grass and plants, another potential food source.
One of our top recommendations for how to get rid of geese on a lake is bird netting. Bird netting can be used to block off areas that birds are congregating in. For geese, this often means nesting areas and the banks of lakes.
Geese nest from February to April. If you have geese nesting in your lake, it is going to be tougher to get rid of them. For that reason, we recommend blocking off nesting areas with bird netting before the nesting season begins.
Another place geese often gather is on the banks of lakes. They will often avoid areas with people in them, so you can profitably block off little-traversed banks of lakes with bird netting to keep geese away.
Bird netting is our top recommendation for how to get rid of geese on a lake. There are also many other secondary recommendations.
One option is visual scare devices like fake owls, scarecrows, and predator eyes. These devices are designed to scare off geese, but they often only work for a temporary time period. Geese get used to them and notice they are not alive after a short period of time. Their usefulness is extended if they are moved often.
Dogs like border collies are also often recommended to ward off geese. The geese will often flee if a dog is brought in, but this will not keep them away permanently unless there is always a dog around.
One more option is sonic sound deterrence. Sonic sound machines broadcast geese predator calls and goose distress signals, warning geese the lake is an unsafe place to be. This will often ward the geese off, though in some cases, like in the case of scarecrows, they realize the sounds are not from actual living creatures.
It's important to remember that geese are protected under the Migratory Bird Act Treaty of 1918. This means it's illegal to harm a goose or interfere with their nesting in any way.
If you feel in over your head with your goose problem, or you just want a helping hand, you can always hire a bird control company to fix your geese problem for you. They know the laws surrounding goose control and can advise you on the best steps to take to fix your goose problem.
Benefits of Getting Rid of Geese on a Lake:
Get Rid of Nasty Geese
Reduce or Eliminate Geese Droppings
Get Rid of Geese-Borne Diseases
Stop Aggressive and Bothersome Birds
If you have a bird problem, we can help. AviAway professionally installs bird control solutions for all bird species. We have 30+ years of experience in bird control and have performed work for companies like Amazon, Rite Aid, and the U.S. Postal Service. Click here or call 844-247-3373 to request a free bird control quote.
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