What to do if you come across a nesting goose

A female goose is nesting while her male companion is standing guard. The nest has been set up in a planter box at the Fletcher Argue Building on the U of M campus. (May 2, 2023. Source: Scott Andersson/CTV News)

The warmer weather is coming back in Manitoba and so are some famous waterfowl.

Canada geese can be spotted throughout Winnipeg and Manitoba and they are now preparing to bring the next generation into the world.

With nesting season underway, Barret Miller, the manager of group services at FortWhyte Alive, said geese can be seen near bodies of water, as well as any location that is higher up and has good sight lines.

"You think about it, it's sort of up high, you can see any sort of predators coming, you're very safe," said Miller. "That's why they choose planters. That's why they choose rooftops sometimes."

He also noted older geese couples are the ones who get the waterfront property, meaning newer couples need to find real estate elsewhere.

"These are your parking lot geese, geese on golf courses. A long ways away from water and the lake."

NESTING GOOSE IN YOUR YARD

Miller said geese can also nest in people's yards, which may result in having a guest for a month or so.

He said by law, a nest can't be moved or destroyed without a permit, so if there are concerns about a goose being aggressive, people should call animal control.

To make your yard less appealing in the future, Miller said there are steps homeowners can take.

"Fencing helps, as does letting the grass be a little bit shaggier and having some bushes or hedges. Lower sight lines, longer grass, these are things that geese really don't like."

He also recommends wind chimes or moving lawn ornaments as things to get geese to move elsewhere.

DEALING WITH A NESTING GOOSE

With places like planters or parking lots being used for nesting, Miller said human interaction with geese is always possible.

"So people need to be aware of a couple of things. A goose does not have a large brain, it's about the size of a human thumbnail. So they don't hold a lot of complex thought in those little brains. Right now, the females are thinking, 'Full of eggs, must build the nest to lay eggs.' The males are thinking, 'Must defend nest. Must defend my mate.'"

When possible, Miller said it is best to just give them space, but if someone needs to get around a nest, he has some tips on how to handle the bird.

"Generally, if you make eye contact with a goose and extend your index finger right in the direction of its beak…that will generally settle a goose down. You're reminding it that it's kind of acting like a gooseneck. You see it eye to eye, you're not a threat, but you're also not a pushover."

Despite this tactic, Miller is reminding people geese can be powerful if they are to attack, saying they could slap someone with their wings or nip people with their beaks.

He said nesting season lasts approximately one month and then the babies will start to pop up around the city and province.