AUTHORS: Cary D. Chevalier, Missouri Western State University
ABSTRACT: In 2014 we began a Canada goose (Branta canadensis) population monitoring and management project on the campus of Missouri Western State University. The restoration of Canada Goose in NW Missouri has not only been successful over the years, but in some areas, like on our campus, goose populations were reaching levels where they were becoming nuisances. Geese were increasingly nesting near buildings. Nesting geese would often harass people walking by, and defecate with increased frequency near building entrances and on sidewalks, thereby creating potential health hazards as well as general messes. Our objectives were to 1) determine the extent of nesting activity; 2) map the distribution of nesting sites on campus; and 3) institute a population recruitment control program to help keep our goose population at a level where they would be considered treasures rather than nuisances. During the spring nesting season, we surveyed the entire ~ 700 - acre campus. We used mapping GPS and GIS to map nest locations and monitor nest site activity. We counted and oiled all known eggs with corn oil and/or spiked eggs, then documented hatching success. In 2014 – 2024 we recorded the locations of 10, 12, 12, 16, 14, 16, 17, 7, 6, 10, 9 nests, respectively. After treatment, broods observed were 5, 2, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, and 0, 0, 0, 0 for years 2014 - 2024, respectively. The goose reproductive success on campus for these six years was reduced by 50% our second year of effort, then by 100% thereafter for known nests. Further, we documented the locations and distributions of all known nests using mapping grade GPS each season and developed a GIS map that now allows us to help our university develop strategies to modify landscaping to minimize nesting activity.
