Thought of the Day - July 13 - Gandering is Good for the Goose

If you have been down to Burnaby Lake in the past couple of months you have probably noticed the increase in Canada Geese this year. The chicks are now fairly well grown, so now more difficult to spot, but clutch sizes were much larger than normal. And, yes this was because of the coronavirus. It is a little published fact that Park Boards personnel carry out the painstaking work of shaking or replacing the eggs to keep the numbers of Canada Geese to a somewhat manageable level. This year however this task was not carried out.

Due to their size, Canada Geese have few predators other than those that go after their eggs. Canada Geese are protected under the Migratory Birds Convention Act. That said, as most geese in Southern Canada no longer migrate so hunting is allowed, but this is a bit of a moot point for geese in greater Vancouver as hunting is not allowed within the city limits. Moreover, people, especially around Piper Spit, feed the birds.

The Parks Board of Vancouver published an interesting report in 2016. Part of which highlighted the need to step up the euphemistically called "egg adding" practice or face runaway growth in population (https://sustain.ubc.ca/sites/default/files/2016-01_Understanding%20%26%20Managing%20Resident%20Vancouver%20Geese_Pierce.pdf).

Hopefully, the new normal means that next year the Parks Boards will be able to catch up before we are overrun.

Cheers

Cliff