chriswalker31
20170322_164944
Anyone who has been walking or driving around campus lately has noticed that the migratory patterns of the Canada Goose (Branta Canadensis) have led them right to our doorstep. Between September and October, the geese usually travel from low arctic tundras to areas stretching from California to the eastern seaboard. (seagrant.com) As with most birds, they travel in large groups to avoid predation as there is safety in numbers. Common enemies include humans, bobcats, raccoons, gulls, eagles, crows and ravens among several others (wdfa.wa.gov). Primary prey for the geese themselves include subaquatic vegetation, insects, snails and tadpoles, though these are probably incidental (wdfw.wa.gov) During migration they can travel up to 70 miles per hour with strong winds, though typically they average approximately 40 mph during migration travels (wdfw.wa.gov). In the V-pattern that is always visible, the benefit of traveling in groups allows the tailing bird to receive upward lift from the bird in front of it, thus allowing them to conserve energy and extend the range of the flock. Geese tend to be very aggressive when their nest is trouble of being tampered with or destroy and they can become very volatile so measures are consistently being implemented to limit their nest sites away from urban environments. The nest themselves are typically around areas of land in close proximity to water. They, like most waterfowl, go through a molting period of approximately 30 to 45 days and complete around July, when they are free from activities such as nesting and migrating and raising young (wdfw.wa.gov). Ecologically, it is important to attempt to regulate their nest sites as they can have significant negative effects on local vegetation due to their droppings, and while it is more expensive, the most successful way to prevent this is to “transform” the area to an environment from an area they deem desirable like a shoreline or pond, into a park or open lot because once they are “nested” it is very hard to discourage them from remaining. (wdfw.wa.gov)
Sources:
wdfw.wa.gov/living/canada_geese.html
seagrant.wisc.edu/birds/canada_goose_intro.html
20170322_164944
Anyone who has been walking or driving around campus lately has noticed that the migratory patterns of the Canada Goose (Branta Canadensis) have led them right to our doorstep. Between September and October, the geese usually travel from low arctic tundras to areas stretching from California to the eastern seaboard. (seagrant.com) As with most birds, they travel in large groups to avoid predation as there is safety in numbers. Common enemies include humans, bobcats, raccoons, gulls, eagles, crows and ravens among several others (wdfa.wa.gov). Primary prey for the geese themselves include subaquatic vegetation, insects, snails and tadpoles, though these are probably incidental (wdfw.wa.gov) During migration they can travel up to 70 miles per hour with strong winds, though typically they average approximately 40 mph during migration travels (wdfw.wa.gov). In the V-pattern that is always visible, the benefit of traveling in groups allows the tailing bird to receive upward lift from the bird in front of it, thus allowing them to conserve energy and extend the range of the flock. Geese tend to be very aggressive when their nest is trouble of being tampered with or destroy and they can become very volatile so measures are consistently being implemented to limit their nest sites away from urban environments. The nest themselves are typically around areas of land in close proximity to water. They, like most waterfowl, go through a molting period of approximately 30 to 45 days and complete around July, when they are free from activities such as nesting and migrating and raising young (wdfw.wa.gov). Ecologically, it is important to attempt to regulate their nest sites as they can have significant negative effects on local vegetation due to their droppings, and while it is more expensive, the most successful way to prevent this is to “transform” the area to an environment from an area they deem desirable like a shoreline or pond, into a park or open lot because once they are “nested” it is very hard to discourage them from remaining. (wdfw.wa.gov)
Sources:
wdfw.wa.gov/living/canada_geese.html
seagrant.wisc.edu/birds/canada_goose_intro.html