What Do Geese Look Like?
The Canada goose has a black head and a long neck with white markings on its cheeks and chin. They are typically brown to gray in color on top with white or cream undersides. Both their feet and bills are black. Males are slightly bigger, but both sexes can weigh up to 24 pounds and range in length from 2 to 3 feet. The bird’s wingspan may reach up to 6 feet. Goslings are yellow with gray-green or olive-colored feathers on the back and top of the head. They fly in a V-shape formation because flying this way reduces wind resistance and helps the geese conserve energy.
What Problems Do Geese Cause?
You may have encountered geese if you own a pond or manage a commercial property, such as a golf course or industrial park. Geese can be an irritant when they trespass on unwanted areas. Geese are grazers and cause damage to landscaping, vegetation, crops, and gardens. Their fecal matter also contaminates the area around bodies of water, posing health risks to pets and humans. While geese are usually harmless, male geese may become aggressive during breeding season if people get too close to their nesting site or goslings.
Goose Control & Management
Geese are protected in Wisconsin, and only properly permitted professionals can control them. Our certified bird specialists at Advanced Wildlife and Pest Control provide humane goose control and management solutions in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Our eco-friendly goose repellent solution deters geese from gathering around areas such as golf courses, ponds, athletic fields, parks, and residential areas. Our goose management works 24/7 to repel geese without the need for loud noise makers, smelly chemicals, or unsightly visual deterrents.
Goose FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
What do geese eat?
Canada geese are primarily herbivores, but their diet varies by season and location. During the spring and summer, geese consume grasses and aquatic plants. In the fall and winter, they forage in harvested fields for corn, wheat, and soybeans. They are also known to pick food out of garbage bins in urban areas.
Where do geese live?
Geese live in fields or lawns near water sources, such as ponds, marshes, lakes, rivers, and ponds. They are becoming increasingly common in urban areas in Wisconsin. Golf courses and retention ponds in residential areas are prime habitats for urban geese.
When do geese mate?
Canada geese are monogamous and mate for life. The female builds a nest and incubates a clutch of four to ten (usually five to seven) eggs. Incubation lasts about a month. They raise one litter per year. After hatching, goslings stay with their parents and follow them to the wintering grounds in the fall. The male will aggressively defend the nest and goslings.
How long do geese live?
Canada geese can live more than 20 years. However, many geese do not survive their first year, falling prey to predators like gulls, raccoons, coyotes, snapping turtles, or mink. Others do not successfully complete their first migration.