City consulting expert about aggressive geese at parks

The City of Windsor is working with a bird expert in an effort to curb the presence of Canada geese at parks.

Phil Roberts of the Essex Country Field Naturalists will be called upon for advice. He also responsible for wildlife control at Windsor International Airport.

The move comes after complaints of aggressive geese and the feces they leave behind at city parks.

John Micelli, the city's director of parks and facilities, says geese are "most definitely" a problem.

Roberts is currently working on goose control at a retention pond at Captain John Wilson Park, near the airport.

Geese like large bodies of open water and large plots of land covered in short grass, Roberts said.

He said one way to rid a park of geese is to grow long, coarse grass.

"Barring habitat modification, you have to move tobehaviour modification," Roberts said.

Roberts says scare techniques include distress calls, pyrotechnics and high-powered lasers beams, that skim across the water and scare the birds away.

Roberts saidlearned behaviour is transmitted to other birds and that simply killing geese doesn't work.

"A dead goose tells no tale," he said.

Other techniques, such as egg sterilization and relocation, require permits but have been used in Windsor.

If they are successful, Roberts will expand his control efforts at the retention pond to parks later this year.

Hundreds of geese have left feces all over McKee Park and the boardwalk there, off Chewett Street.

"I'm constantly walking in bird poop and having the birds all over me so I don't appreciate that much," said resident Lisa Vandelinder. "Not only does it smell, but the birds are actually getting pretty aggressive now. They come right at you. They make their noises and squawk at you.

"It's not like before, when they were a little timid and you could come and feed them. Now, they come right at you."

Micelli said a report detailing the goose problem and a potential solution will go before council "within a month or two." He was to meet with Roberts this week, but the meeting was rescheduled.

Geese aren't the only species leaving feces behind at parks.

Joe McIntosh takes his two Siberian huskies out for regular walks in the dog park at Black Oak Heritage Park on Broadway Street in the west end. He likes the park but says it's not being well maintained. He says the grass is too high and there's usually too much dog excrement on the ground.

Micelli says the city provides bags for residents to use to clean up after their dogs. He says dog owners must pick it up.

When it comes to grass, the city has a 10-day grass cutting cycle and when it rains, employees fall behind. The city also cuts parks based on a class system. Jackson Park, the riverfront and sports fields get cut first.

The city will hold public consultation meetings this fall to put together a parks master plan.