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New York State in the early 1900s contained only a few Canada Geese that were the descendents of captive birds released by private individuals in the Lower Hudson Valley. Local flocks grew rapidly and migrated to other areas. Now the Canada goose population in New York is close to 200,000 birds. 200,000! Most geese begin breeding when they are 2 to 3 years old and nest every year for the rest of their lives, which can last more than 20 years. At an average of 5 to 6 eggs per nest, a female goose may produce more than 50 young over her lifetime. Canada geese have a strong tendency to return to where they were born and use the same nesting and feeding sites. This makes it hard to eliminate geese once they become settled in a local area.
Areas with expanses of short grass, abundant lakes and ponds, lack of natural predators, limited hunting, and supplemental feeding have created a large increase in the number of resident geese. Rockland Lake State Park is one of these areas and many problems exist. Droppings and feathers are all over the park, in the grass and on the paths. A goose produces about a pound of droppings per day! This can lower the water quality in lakes or ponds. Another problem with the geese is that they over-graze and in the case of Rockland lake, provide unwanted competition to the ducks and other animals that live in the Lake. They are also a safety hazard when near the road and bicycle paths. Another problem with the geese are that they are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. This was developed to protect birds that migrated between Canada, the US, and Mexico. In New York it is illegal to hunt, kill, sell, or possess migratory birds or their parts, like feathers, nests, or eggs unless you have a permit.
It is very difficult to get rid of the Canada geese, but various methods are being taken. One method that is being taken very seriously at Rockland Lake is stopping feeding of the birds. Feeding causes many birds to group...