Waterfowl nuisance problems in urban areas are usually caused by Canada geese. If undisturbed, geese will establish large nesting areas on ponds and lakes in residential areas such as yards, golf courses, city parks, etc. These beautiful birds can soon become destructive pests by fouling ponds and yards, damaging the landscape and aggressively defending their nests.

In North Carolina, USDA Wildlife Serviceshandles such wildlife complaints. If someone has a problem with the wildlife in a residential or urban area they can call Wildlife Services for help. In the case of waterfowl, Wildlife Services will then make several suggestions of measures to prevent further disturbance from the wildlife. They may suggest: destroying eggs in nests (requires a depredation permit), using frightening devices to move birds to other areas, letting vegetation grow along pond edges to make areas difficult for birds to walk through, applying bird repellents to grass, eliminating feeding of waterfowl, constructing steeper shorelines, fencing, etc.

If all suggestions fail, Wildlife Services may recommend that landowners apply for a federal depredation permit from the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Upon issuance, a depredation permit will allow landowners to remove offending birds by shooting or trapping. Wildlife Services has and will provide the necessary USFWS permit applications for nuisance waterfowl, which have to be sent in to a USFWS office in Atlanta, Georgia. The USFWS will not issue one of these permits during the waterfowl season or migration period. They will also not issue the permit without the recommendation from Wildlife Services.

The residential Canada goose situation has become a serious problem in North Carolina. Wildlife Services receives approximately 300 complaints a year and recommends about 50 depredation permits be issued. The N.C. Wildlife Commission no longer allows geese to be relocated within the state as a solution to this problem. The reason being is that these residents will likely cause similar problems in the area where they are relocated if, in fact, they do not return to the original siteAlso, these residential geese seem to prefer urban habitats rather than rural ones. According to Jon Heisterberg, of Wildlife Services, “Between 1990 and 1997, 6,000 resident N.C. geese were relocated to Mississippi. Wildlife officials from Mississippi came and picked up the geese from North Carolina to be released in rural habitats for hunting. It was not long before the geese headed for the nearest golf course, which was pretty disappointing to the hunters.”

This year a property manager in North Carolina had a nuisance problem with a large number of Canada geese. He received his depredation permit from the USFWS and contacted Wildlife Services for help in a removal of the geese. Approximately 170 geese were rounded up, euthanized and disposed of at a landfill. This has caused a lot of controversy with conservation groups and citizens of North Carolina. However, the problem cannot be ignored, and with relocation currently not being an option-the state is limited on methods of resident waterfowl control. Some people have suggested a distribution of the goose meat to various food banks. Currently, Wildlife Services has not been able to find a processor that will accept the geese.

If you have any questions or concerns about the resident Canada goose nuisance problems in North Carolina call USDA Wildlife Services at
(919) 786-4480.