Seeing more Canada geese than normal? It's because their goslings are growing up
Experts say the population has increased more than it would have without human interference
If you've been noticing more Canadian geese recently across the city of London, Ont., you're not alone.
Park goers are reporting seeing more of the familiar bird this summer, especially compared to this time last year.
Linus Guglielmo, who has been enjoying Ivey Park during his summer vacations over the last two years, isn't certain why he's seeing more.
"I've never seen this many here before," he said. "Last year, there was probably about half, or even less than half, of what there is now. I come here often and I just find it very interesting because I don't know what could make them gather in this park this much."
Nick Koskinas, a Londoner who has been visiting the park for the past 16 years, believes it's because more goslings have survived this year's nesting cycle.
"Last year, there was a serious avian flu and many died. During this year, the survivors who had chicks have intact nests and the majority are still alive as you can see here in this park," said Koskinas, adding he's noticed even higher numbers at Gibbons Park.
That's a solid theory according to Brian Salt, the CEO of the Salt Haven Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Centre in Strathroy.
"Geese are really a vector species for highly pathogenic avian influenza, as are all shore birds, and that's taken a toll on the Canada goose population," he said.
Salt added that between late March and May, geese will defend their nests, territory and young. As of July, the goslings have had time to mature, making their numbers more visible.
"They'll be learning how to fly pretty soon and be a bit awkward."
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Population has been steadily increasing
The number of Canadian geese have been steadily going up over the past few decades and not from a recent population boom, said Brendan Samuels, a PhD candidate at Western University with the Advanced Facility for Avian Research.
The Canadian Wildlife Service estimates there are more than 400,000 Canadian geese in the province.
Samuel said that humans contribute to Canada geese congregating in large numbers by feeding them, leading to the illusion of a population boom.
"When they're fed in excess, the geese might also not migrate at all. They might find that there's enough food here and they can just stick around over the winter months," he said.
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Samuels also said the returning numbers also indicate that their natural predators—which include wolves, eagles, bears, raccoons and foxes—have decreased due to human activity and changes in the habitat.
"It reflects that the whole ecosystem is out of balance."
'Geese do not need to be fed'
Throwing bread out for geese doesn't just risk contributing to changes in their migratory patterns, said Salt. It can be outright deadly for them.
Salt said when geese eat bread, it becomes a dough-like substance that lodges itself in their digestive tract and can make it impossible for other food to get past.
"Even if they survive that, the nutritional value of bread for [waterfowls] is negligible and doesn't do them much good. It leaves them open to diseases that otherwise they wouldn't have to wrestle with," said Salt. "We feed them for our own satisfaction, not for their benefit."
He added that nobody should feed geese, even if they avoid bread, since the birds already know where to find food and tend to gang up and become a nuisance.
"If you're inclined to feed geese at all, which we don't recommend, things like cracked corn, shelled sunflower seeds, cut up grapes, things like that, are way better for the geese and way better for the environment too."
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