Canada Goose Management

The Rockford Park District supports a program that works to resolve the challenges of resident Canada geese and build a better community that lives in harmony with its wildlife. To allow people to fully enjoy all recreational facilities, you may notice our Border Collies working along the recreational path, from a boat on the river, or in parks and at our facilities.
There are three main components to our program:

Population stabilization is one of the keys in managing the overpopulation of Canada geese in the Rock River Valley. To do this, permits are obtained for egg depredation, which allows permit holders to implement a process called "oiling". A protocol is followed which is deemed humane by the Humane Society of the United States.
 
The nesting season runs from March to May in the Rock River Valley. Goose nests are located and the protocol followed to discover if the eggs are eligible for the process of oiling. If the eggs meet the protocol, eggs are oiled and returned to the nest. The female goose returns to the next to incubate the eggs, and when there is no hatch, the nest is abandoned with the nesting instinct completed.
 
It is simple mathematics - for every 1,000 eggs oiled, 12,500 fewer geese will be born in the succeeding eight years.
 

The Rockford Park District purchased two specially trained Border Collies that herd or move geese without harming them. The dogs wear specially made life vests so they may chase the geese directly into the water. The Border Collies, Flash and Zulu, have been trained to be comfortable around people so they may work on the bike path and at other recreational areas.
 
By continually herding the geese, the dogs encourage them to stay away from public areas. The most important areas to exclude the geese from include parks and recreational paths, particularly those areas where their feces can create a safety issue.
 
The Humane Society of the United States approves the use of Border Collies to relocate urban Canada geese. Approval to use a dog to herd geese is also required by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

Education is the most important element in the Rockford Park District's 3-part plan. By educating younger generations as well as adults, it is hoped we may all learn to enjoy wildlife without harming it. The goal is to teach children that they can find more creative ways to enjoy wildlife. To assist in this, a tile mosaic created by both children and adults is on permanent display at Lockwood Park. Additional materials have been created including games, puzzles and a story about geese.
 
The ultimate goals are to bring the community together to control the population of Canada geese and then to again be able to enjoy their beauty.

• Do animals a favor ... please don't feed them. Birds and other wildlife are opportunists and will come to be fed where they know food easy to get. By offering them a handout, you are interfering with their instincts to forage for natural foods and you may encouraging them to stay in areas which are not safe for them. In many cases, what you are feeding them is NOT giving them correct nutritional support.
• Enjoy your time in our park but please don't diminish recreational enjoyment for others. People enjoy walking, playing, and perhaps picnicking in the area where you are bribing animals to stay. Where animals stay, so do their feces.
• Enjoy the park! Take a walk and look at the birds and animals along the way. In the urban environment there are plenty of animals, insects and birds for you to see. And because you are walking you will be doing your body good at the same time!
   

Contact: Jan Herbert, Project Manager
Rockford Park District
815-969-4499
e-mail: janherbert@rockfordparkdistrict.org

CANADA GOOSE TERMS AND FACTS It is important to understand that all Canada geese migrate. Some simply migrate further than others. This has produced the following loose descriptive terms:
 
Migratory Canada geese: Flight range: 2,000-3,0000 miles
Move through our area in spring (going north), and fall (going south).
 
Resident Canada geese: Maintain a tighter flight range of up to 200 miles. These birds are capable of flying long distances, but have not learned to follow the migration pattern because they were not taught it by migrating parents.
 
Life Span: Up to 20 years (more typically 12-15 years). They mate for the life of their partner.
 
Weight: From 8-20 pounds (depending upon sub-species).
 
Natural Predators: In rural areas, predators may include fox, raccoon, owls, snapping turtles and coyote.
 
Nesting habits: Canada geese begin to nest at approximately 3 years of age, laying their nests in areas they feel they can defend. In the Rock River Valley this is often on ponds, lakes and on islands in rivers. The average number of eggs in a nest is 5. The nesting season runs from approximately March to May.
 
Molting: Fly feathers are lost during a "molting" period, typically in June. During this period, Canada geese are unable to fly.
 
The Canada Goose was thought to be nearly extinct in the 1950's. The population in the U.S. was probably around 50,000 birds. A very successful repopulation effort was launched at that time and now an estimated 1.5 million birds live on the Mississippi flyway alone.