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Struggle to slow exploding goose population
They're the birds that grow like rabbits. Canadian geese are so many in the metro, they're almost the mascot of Minnesota's lakes and parks. "They're a fun bird to have around," said Danny Thompson of Canada Geese Management, Inc. "Pretty to look at." But not so pretty to clean up after. Some leave 2 pounds of feces a day. "A lot of times it's just because of a health hazard they create, just because of how they graze on the grass," Thompson said. So more than 50 towns and park districts hire help. Working for a business called Canada Goose Management, an eight man crew does exactly that: In 6 weeks they'll round up nearly 3,000 geese, birds taken from dozens of backyards and beaches, and donated to food shelves. The group also tracks geese. Monday, they banded 80 birds to learn where they nest, one way they can better keep the population to the goal of 17,000. "It helps us keep track of the resident geese in the state of Minnesota," Thompson said. "We're working with resident geese. We're not talking about migrators and birds coming from out of state." Hazing's not fool proof. Neither are most barriers. So this, says its believers, is the best way to both love geese, and limit them. If the population is at the right amount, they're great to have around. Each goose roundup costs about $1,200, plus a fee for holding and processing each bird. The crew also controls the goose population by manipulating eggs so they don't hatch. (Copyright 2009 by KARE. All Rights Reserved.)
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