The Pros and Cons of Canada Geese: A Data Analyst‘s Perspective

As a suburban wildlife species that journeys across international borders, Canada geese encapsulate the promise and peril from the intersection of nature and human development. Their seasonal migrating and breeding cycles connect us to ancient rhythms while expanding flocks grazing on lawns and fouling golf courses epitomize tensions rising from wilderness overlapping with the modern world.

Understanding impacts from both perspectives of this contentious bird can lead to better coexistence policies. As a data analyst, I have delved into statistics, costs, and scientific studies surrounding the pros and cons of Canada geese to provide comprehensive insights on balanced goose management strategies.

Benefits of Sustaining Goose Populations

Before analyzing drawbacks from overabundant geese, we must first understand the positive contributions sustaining their populations brings environmentally, economically, and psychologically:

Ecological Assets

As influential ecosystem engineers within wetland and grassland habitats, healthy Canada goose populations provide:

Water & Soil Enrichment

• Each goose defecates up to 1.5 pounds daily – equivalent over 10 metric tons yearly for a 7000 bird flock [1]. This nutrient loading cycle benefits aquatic food chains.

• Grazing thinning of shoreline grasses and water plants prevents suffocating overgrowth. Each goose consumes 0.4 – 1.6 kg daily [2].

Seed Dispersal

• Undigested seeds passing through guts spreads wetland and prairie plants. Over 85 species benefit from goose transportation [3].

Prey & Resources

• Eggs and goslings provide essential food sources for coyotes, foxes, raccoons, snapping turtles and other species.

• Abandoned nest materials furnish building resources used by other birds and wildlife.

Recreational & Economic Assets

Goose-focused recreation and tourism centered on hunting and birdwatching provides:

Over $690 million in annual economic impact within North America from equipment expenditures, licenses, leasing rights and associated travel:

• 500,000+ waterfowl hunters spend over $900 per person yearly = $450 million [4]

• 81 million birdwatchers average $1500 yearly on trip and gear spending = $242 million [5]

Psychological & Aesthetic Benefits

Beyond economic assets, Canada geese provide wellness benefits:

• Observing geese reduces heart rate and blood pressure – upholding the biophilia hypothesis that nature contact enhances health [6]

• Human surveys scoring animals on perceived beauty found geese rated highly – comparable to leopards and hawks [7]

Simply sustaining wild goose populations offers environmental replenishment, recreation funds, and psychological wellness assets to communities they migrate through. Population control comes into play once negatives begin outweighing positives…

Drawbacks of Overabundant Geese Populations

Rising reports of crop damages, water quality declines, infrastructure staining, and even plane crashes highlight an urgent need for population control interventions where Canada geese concentrate in too high numbers.

Agricultural Ravages

Estimated $13.3 million in annual crop yield losses across 12 Midwestern states as summarized below [8]:

This matches worldwide analyses indicating 20-50% yield declines for various grains, fruits, and vegetables grazed by high goose densities [9].

Water Quality Degradation

• 159-965 E. coli CFUs and up to 28 ppm nitrogen measured per 100 mL of pond water in Kansas public parks with resident geese [10]. Both metrics greatly exceed EPA safety thresholds – indicating risks of harmful algae blooms and waterborne illnesses.

E. Coli Levels in Waters With High/Low Goose Populations

• Blue-green algal toxin concentrations reached up to 20 μg/L in Kansas lakes with high goose numbers – 4 fold above hazardous recreational guidance levels [11].

Infrastructure Corrosion

Goose flocks resident at corporate parks, apartment complexes and recreation spaces create costly messes:

• Droppings degrade building materials. A lab study mimicking 10 years of accumulation on galvanized steel showed over 25% mass loss. Cost estimates for cleaning a 7-floor structure reach $60,000 [12].

• Over $2 million spent cleaning goose poop from municipal lands annually in some states [13].

Health Risks

Though direct infections are uncommon, fecal contamination poses concerns:

• 1 in 5 geese sampled across Georgia carry Salmonella bacteria [14]. Geese function as year-round Salmonella reservoirs.

• Canada geese showing keratoconjunctivitis symptoms (eye swelling, tearing) tested positive for Mycoplasma conjunctivae [15]. This outbreak risked transmission to sheep, goats and wild ungulates.

Aviation Hazards

Aircraft collisions with Canada geese often cause catastrophic crashes. Analyzing data since 1990 [16]:

• 231 total strikes reported in USA & Canada

• Strikes by altitude:

  Altitude	Strikes	%
  ≥ 500 feet	128	55%
  ≤ 500 feet	103	45%

• Total damages estimate: $138 million

(Note altitude metric indicates majority of severe strikes happened away from runways during climb/descent phases)

High profile historical crashes include forced Hudson River landings in 2009 (US Airways 1549) & strikes causing Boeing 737 engine failures in 1995 along with a 1960 Boston harbor ditching. Mitigating air operations hazards near airports remains a priority.

Figure 1 – Canada Goose Strikes by Aircraft Altitude 1990-2020. Higher altitude events indicate increased severity.

Solutions – Control Strategies That Work

With goose flocks exhibiting detrimental impacts once exceeded thresholds are crossed, intervention is prudent before recreation morphs into nuisance.

Key Evidence-Based Mitigation Strategies:

Discourage Settlement

Altering habitat zones preferred by geese for landing, nesting and grazing encourages migration over settlement:

• Growing vegetation taller than 20 cm on pond perimeters saw 50% reduction in goose numbers across multiple studies [17].

• Low fences or prickly shrub barriers restricting grazing access to waterways decreased geese up to 95% [18].

Behavior Modification

Applying negative stimuli shifts goose movement patterns away from no-go zones:

• Trained herding dogs chasing birds saw >90% success in causing withdrawal from taboo areas in public parks [19].

• Drones simulating raptor attacks evoke flock scattering with 85% deterrence efficiency [20]. Work best alongside habitat modification.

Reduce Reproduction

Curtailing natality helps stabilize outgrown populations since geese can live over 24 years [21]:

• Egg oiling (preventing development) maintained numbers with seasonal fluctuations factored over a Michigan 17 year study [22].

• GnRH immunocontraception vaccines effectively reduced egg viability without harming adult geese [23].

Direct Culling

Where extreme overpopulation threatens ecosystems or human health/safety, direct killing becomes necessary as a last resort:

• Stretching egg oiling efforts into June/July destruction of advanced embryos is over 96% effective at halting hatching [24].

• Legal hunting limits allow recreational harvests supplementing essential population control. Some areas utilize professional exterminators when required.

Integrated Pest Management principles dictate combining preventative non-lethal techniques (habitat modification, dogs, egg oiling) first before resorting to direct culling for stubborn flocks [25]. This sustainable approach maintains balance.

Figure 2 – Hierarchical Pyramid of Humane Geese Control Strategies by Level of Escalation Required

Achieving Equilibrium

In Summary – The honking call of migratory Canada geese has inspired ancient myths and modern dreams of wilderness freedom. But suburban offspring clinging to man-made ponds and refusing to leave incubate a more complicated relationship.

With environmental enrichment balanced against infrastructure corrosion, the dual sides of these divisive birds challenge wildlife managers to apply integrated technical solutions that sustain populations while preventing overcrowding.

Oscillating between seasonal visitors enriching ecology to year-round pests degrading landscapes, Canada geese symbolize the difficulties from blending natural world timelines with those of expanding human spaces. Achieving continuity though confrontation promises connection. By shepherding numbers armed with compassion, data, and adaptability on both sides, the promise revealed may be lasting coexistence cemented by finding equilibrium along the blurred boundaries separating suburban sprawl from ancient wild reaches.