The difference between resident geese and migratory geese is that resident geese have chosen to live here year-round. The migratory geese pass through central Indiana during the fall and spring.

• Indianapolis is in the Mississippi Flyway, the migration route for Canada geese.

• Canada geese were almost eradicated by hunting, egg gathering and the draining of wetlands in the early 1900s.Needless to say, since the 1960s, they have made a HUGE comeback.

• The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918 gives Canada geese federal protection.

• Geese weigh between 3 and 15 lbs.
  
  
  
• One goose produces 1-2 pounds of droppings a day.(Imagine what a gaggle of 50 produce…….)

• Canada goose droppings can carry Salmonella spp., E. coli, and Listeria spp.

• Resident geese act as decoys attracting their migratory relatives. This can dramatically increase your geese population during the migration season.

• Large groups of geese can alter the ecology of a pond and create algae problems.

• If their nest is destroyed or eggs removed early on, Canada geese may re-nest near the same spot.

• Resident geese are not fazed by humans and can be aggressive, especially during nesting season in the spring. A belligerent adult goose can easily knock down a child or senior citizen.