Geese in agricultural fields

Geese cause a lot of problems in agricultural fields. In crop fields, the birds are attracted to the new growth of the plants and the waste grains. Because this provides the geese with a constant source of food, it takes quite a bit of work to drive them away. However, the setting of agricultural areas can be beneficial to the cause of goose control, as the remoteness of farms and the rural jurisdiction often allow for more intrusive or visible control methods to be employed safely and discreetly.

Geese around airports

Another major area of concern is geese at or around airports. Large flocks of geese in the airspace and immediate areas around an airport create a risk of hitting and damaging incoming or outgoing aircraft. Birdstrikes are extremely dangerous for both geese and humans, as well as costly in terms of damage to equipment. In fact, it was a flock of geese that caused the birdstrike with Flight 1549 and forced the plane to land on the Hudson River. Many aircraft collisions with geese do not end in such miraculous saves.

However, because airports are frequently on the outskirts of the city or in more rural areas, a greater range of bird control methods may be used without disturbing the general public or nearby residents.

CWS MIGRATORY BIRD PERMIT

Do I need a permit to remove geese from my property?

Canada geese are protected under the Migratory Birds Convention Act 1994, and therefore most actions taken to deter them from properties require a Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) Migratory Bird Permit. The best time to obtain a permit is in January and February because it can often take a while for CWS to process. Hawkeye will obtain the permits on your behalf to ensure that bird control can proceed in the most efficient way.

How do I obtain a permit?

The time to get started on a permit is in January and February. We can obtain the appropriate CWS permit on your behalf.

GEESE CONTROL METHODS AND SOLUTIONS

Falconry

Falconry uses birds of prey, like hawks, falcons, and especially eagles, to chase geese from the air. Geese are extremely frightened of eagles and have the same reaction to one as humans do when someone yells "Shark!": they scatter. Further, because the raptors are actively chasing the geese, the geese will not habituate and will have the same reaction every time. Though this is one of the labour intensive methods of goose control due to the high level of expertise needed to work with the birds of prey, it is also by far the most effective.

Dogs

Dogs are often used to chase geese and scare them from the ground. Like the raptors, the dogs represent an active threat to the geese, meaning that they will never get used to it. However, due to safety concerns, dogs cannot be used in some environments, like rooftops. Chasing geese with dogs is the most common goose control method on the ground and one of the most effective in many situations.

Remote Operated Vehicles (ROVs)

ROVs are used to chase geese where it would be inconvenient or impossible for a dog or human to do so. Different types of drones are used to chase geese in the air, land, or water. Unfortunately, the technology can be fragile and easily lost, especially when in the water. ROVs can be very effective in large bodies of water where geese can easily float or fly to the other side before the dogs can swim to them. Therefore, Hawkeye typically uses birds of prey, dogs, and ROVs together to chase geese away effectively.