FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT GEESE AND OTHER BIRDS
We receive questions about geese and other birds throughout the year. Often, we receive similar questions during certain periods of the year. We decided to begin a page with some of the most frequently asked questions and our answers to them and we hope this will be helpful to you:
QUESTION 1: A bird flew into my garage. I've tried everything and I can't get him out. I'm afraid he will die. What can I do?
ANSWER: This has happened to us, too! The technique that we are going to suggest works only during the day, not at night. If a bird has flown into your garage, close the garage door . Close the side door, too. Turn out the lights so that it is pitch black in the garage. Wait for 5-10 minutes. Open the side door. The bird will fly out through that door because he will be attracted to the light. By closing all the doors and turning out the lights in the garage and waiting 5-10 minutes, you're allowing the bird to get adjusted to the darkness. Then, when you open the side door, he sees the light and flies out! If you happen to drive into your garage at night and notice a bird flying about, you could try the same thing: close all doors, turn out the light. Then open the side door and hang a light in the entrance. Hopefully, the bird will follow the light and fly out.
QUESTION 2: There's a lone goose in the yard. I've noticed him there for a while. Is something wrong with him? Should I call a wildlife center to rescue him?
ANSWER: This is the most frequently asked question in spring. The lone goose is usually a gander (male goose) doing gander duty. His mate is nesting and he waits for her. Some ganders are very protective and they're actually protecting their goose and their nest. Other ganders are simply waiting. They don't wait beside their mates because they do not want to attract predators.
QUESTION 3: I found a lone gosling. What should I do?
ANSWER: This is another very frequent question during the spring. The best thing to do is to contact a wildlife rehabilitation center that accepts waterfowl. Tell them about the gosling and ask if they have other orphaned goslings. If they do, they will raise the gosling with the other goslings and release them all before they fledge.
QUESTION 4: A pair of geese is nesting on the roof of a 9th story building. How will the parents get the goslings down? Will the goslings survive?
ANSWER A: If the goslings have hatched, get a friend or two to help you herd the entire family down from the roof top. If there's an elevator, herd them into the elevator and then lead them down to the ground floor. You can try and help entice them to move in the direction you wish by tossing bread crumbs. Once they're safely on the ground, you may have to help lead them across streets to get to a pond or river.
ANSWER B: If the goose is nesting but the goslings have not hatched yet, contact a wildlife rehabilitation center and request their assistance and expertise to remove the nest.
ANSWER C: If the goslings have hatched but there's no way to walk them down from the roof using and elevator or stairs, place something soft on the base of the building (hay or straw) to allow the goslings to land as safely as possible.