Public Park Goose Control in the GTA

Goose populations in the GTA and the rest of southern Ontario have continued to increase. While the iconic Canadian geese are a welcome sight after a long winter, their presence and what they leave behind wreaks havoc on our public parks and green spaces. As the number of these birds continues to grow, public park goose control has become an increasingly important priority for municipalities responsible for maintaining safe, clean, and enjoyable green spaces.

Parks in the Greater Toronto Area (community parks, waterfront parks, and regional parks) often support large resident Canada goose populations as they provide everything geese want and need:

• Open grass
• Water access
• Limited predator pressure
• Large gathering areas
  
  

Why Goose Control Is a Must for Municipal Public Parks

Occasional goose activity isn't so much a problem and park visitors often enjoy watching the birds (and their adorable goslings). But when public parks become breeding grounds and geese return to the same park year after year, flocks grow exponentially and so do goose-related problems, ranging from water pollution to public health and safety concerns. Here's why a pro-active geese management plan for public parks is so important:

Goose Droppings Impact Public Use of Parks

• Walking trails
• Picnic areas
• Park benches
• Event spaces
• Children's play areas
  
  

Goose Removal Helps Reduce Safety Risks

• Slip-and-fall hazards
• Risk of avian influenza (bird flu)
• Aggressive geese during nesting season
• Conflicts between park visitors (and their pets) and geese
  
  

Goose Control Helps Reduce Maintenance Costs

• Repeated cleanup requirements
• Turf damage
• Increased maintenance workload
  
  

How Goose Activity Affects Different Areas of Public Parks

While geese may initially congregate in just one area (particularly when breeding), over the course of the summer, they will spread out to forage and can eventually take over an entire park. Understanding where geese congregate helps municipalities prioritize goose control around park ponds, sports fields, and other high-use areas.

Goose Problems Around Park Ponds and Shorelines

• Geese spend much of their time near water
• Shorelines become congregation areas
• Heavy nesting activity near ponds
  
  

Goose Control Challenges on Sports Fields

• Short grass attracts geese
• Frequent droppings on playing surfaces
• Reduced field usability
  
  

Goose Removal Concerns Around Trails and Walkways

• High pedestrian traffic
• Visitor complaints
• Safety concerns
  
  

Goose Problems Near Playgrounds and Picnic Areas

• Family-focused spaces
• Hygiene concerns
• Reduced visitor enjoyment
  
  

Get Rid of Goose Nest Problems Before They Expand

As mentioned above, parks (particularly if they offer water features) really embody the ideal Canada goose environment. It's no wonder that geese often choose park grounds as nesting sites. Taking action early to get rid of goose nest activity before populations increase can significantly reduce future goose problems.

Popular Goose Nesting Locations in Public Parks

• Pond shorelines
• Naturalized areas
• Islands
• Low-traffic sections of parks
  
  

How Nesting Increases Long-Term Goose Problems

• Territorial behaviour
• Repeat nesting
• Family groups returning annually
• Increased goose populations over time
  
  

Why Municipalities Should Address Goose Nest Issues Early

• Early intervention is easier
• Nesting geese become harder to manage
• Prevents future goose activity
  
  

Why Egg Oiling and Addling Are Not Ideal

• Geese will continue sitting on non-viable eggs
• Does not immediately discourage site use
• Geese may keep returning for years
• Nest removal and broader goose control strategies often provide faster results
  
  

Legal Considerations When Trying to Get Rid of Goose Nests

• Migratory bird protections
• Permit requirements
• Importance of professional guidance
  
  

Best Ways to Get Rid of Geese in Public Parks

If you're wondering how to get rid of geese in public parks, it's important to understand that no single goose control method works in every location or for the long term. Public parks require multiple goose control and removal strategies. Integrated solutions should be customized based on park size, water features, visitor activity, and goose pressure. Here are the best methods to get rid of geese long-term:

Falconry for Goose Control in Public Parks

Falconry has proven a most effective long-term deterrent, taking advantage of the natural predator-prey relationship between eagles and geese and helping create lasting avoidance behaviour.

Falconry is suitable for:

• Large municipal parks
• Waterfront parks
• Sports complexes
• Regional parks
  
  

Trained Dogs for Goose Removal in Open Park Areas

Trained dogs chasing geese is another very effective strategy. Dog patrols must be fairly frequent and at varying times of day. Geese are very intelligent and quickly catch on to a schedule.

Dog patrols are effective for: 

• Sports fields
• Open lawns
• Shoreline areas
  
  

Dogs giving chase is an active dispersal method that works particularly well in large turf areas.

Laser Goose Control for Public Parks

Lasers are also a valuable addition to using falconry and dogs, reiterating to geese that the area is not predictable or safe.

• Effective in low-light conditions
• Useful around:
  • Open fields
  • Pond areas
  • Park facilities
• Often used as part of an integrated geese management program
  
  

Remote Control Vehicles (Boats)

Particularly in larger bodies of water, the use of remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) is quite successful. Like lasers, the boats are deployed in low-light conditions and further make the area appear unsafe and unsuitable. The wake of the ROV mimimcs predators in the water and will encourage geese to leave promptly.

Pyrotechnics for Goose Removal in Large Municipal Parks

Where permitted, pyrotechnics show great results as well. As with all other methods, this requires repetition and consistency.

• Useful for dispersing larger groups
• Best suited for large properties
• Requires proper timing and management
  
  

Habitat Modification for Long-Term Goose Control

Making changes to the landscape is actually a fairly inexpensive and long-lasting method to make the area less attractive and deter geese. Open grassy areas and water edges offer excellent opportunities for modification as geese prefer open visibility and easy walk-in access to water.

Such modifications include:

• Longer grass (4-8 inches)
• Native vegetation
• Shrub planting
• Visual obstructions
• Low fencing
• Buffer zones
• Large boulders by the water's edge
  
  

Pond Wiring for Goose Control Around Park Water Features

Restricting access to a body of water also helps geese choose another location instead. 

• Helps reduce goose use of ponds
• Interferes with landing and takeoff
• Useful for:
  • Stormwater ponds
  • Decorative ponds
  • Managed park water features

Goose Relocation as a Goose Removal Option

Geese relocation is an option that is available but requires tremendous resources. Permits required for work around geese, the new location, and the care of the geese at that new location have to be preapproved.

• Suitable in certain situations
• Typically expensive
• Usually considered when other options are impractical
• Needs legal permission, so professional’s help is invaluable and strongly advised
  
  

Hawkeye’s Goose Control and Removal Services for Public Parks

Hawkeye Bird & Animal Control has over 35 years of experience and expertise when it comes to goose control in public parks. We have worked with many municipalities and government bodies over the years, providing municipal goose removal and integrated goose and integrated goose management solutions tailored to each park’s unique challenges, including our falconry program. We will identify the right combination of goose control and removal strategies, including everything  from goose nest removal to goose relocation.

Contact Hawkeye today! Learn More About our Goose Control and Removal Services for Public Parks.

Our highly skilled falconers and dog operators are available for geese control all across Southern Ontario, including Toronto, Scarborough, Brampton, Vaughan, Markham, Ajax, Newmarket, Etobicoke, Oshawa, and Mississauga

Related Articles:
https://www.hawkeye.ca/toronto-bird-control-services/geese-control-chemical-oiling