Goose No Fly Zone During Molting

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At the end of June and into the first few weeks of July, something happens to Ohio's goose population. Homeowners that have been harassing (or scaring) geese off their property may notice that now, the geese just aren't flying away. There is a reason your property has become a no-fly zone - the adults are molting their flight feathers. This process takes a few weeks during which, the adults are unable to fly. Couple that with a clutch of young goslings that are not able to spread their wings yet, and you have several sitting ducks (or in this case, geese!). Unfortunately, damage (and the never ceasing feces) can escalate within these no-fly zones. Restricting flightless geese from areas can be done by herding geese out of the area then installing a temporary fence. Otherwise, patience is the best virtue. Soon enough, the adults and goslings will be flying and harassments techniques will once again succeed in persuading geese to move on to another location.  For more information on managing nuisance geese, such as harassment techniques, see OSU Extension FactSheet W-3-10 Coping with Canada Geese: Conflict Management and Damage Prevention Strategies.