new york city canada goose removals in 2010

8/3/2019 New York City Canada Goose Removals in 2010

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U S D AUnited States Department of Agriculture

Animal and Plant Health inspection ServiceWildlife Services

S um mary: N ew Y ork C ity C anada G ooseR em ovals in 2010

Prepared by:Ryan Collins and Lee HumbergWildlife BiologistsUSDA-APHIS- Wildlife Services


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JUSTIFICATIONThe Metropolitan New York City region has an estimated 15,000 - 20,000 residentCanada geese, which is approximately five times the amount that most people would fmdsocially acceptable (B. Swift, NYS DEC, Bureau of Wildlife, pers. cornrn.). Theincreasing abundance of these 8-10 pound flocking birds in urban and suburbanlandscapes has resulted in a significant aviation safety hazard for the flying public andmilitary aircraft.The Federal Aviation Administration and United States Air Force have established azero-tolerance policy for Canada geese on or near airports due to the high probability ofaircraft damage and reduced public safety. The Federal Aviation AdministrationAdvisory Circular 150/5200-33B provides guidance to airports for managing hazardouswildlife attractants near airports.Based on the current population size of resident Canada geese, efforts to reduce thenumber of resident geese in metropolitan New York City were implemented to protectaviation safety, water supplies from fecal contamination, public and private propertyfrom damage to turf and ornamental plantings, loss of land use due to excessive fecaldroppings, and against unintended consequences of hazing programs. To protect theseresources, the population of resident Canada geese within 7 miles of John F. KennedyInternational Airport and LaGuardia Airport were targeted to the extent reasonable.OBJECTIVETo reduce the resident Canada geese population at public parks, ball fields and otherman-made and natural habitats within 7 miles of New York City airports.BENEFITS EXPECTEDDecreasing the resident Canada goose population would reduce the year-round risk thesebirds pose to aviation safety. While migrating birds temporarily increase the risk toaviation safety, the reduction of resident Canada geese is a step in reducing theabundance of larger-bodied birds that cause the most damaging strikes to aircraft.Additional benefits of removing over-abundant Canada geese include; reduced fecaldropping and work required to remove droppings, decreased water contamination fromfecal pollution, decreased grazing on turf grass and plantings and decreased conflict withrecreational use of properties. Reducing Canada goose populations near ecologicalrestoration sites can minimize the risk and extent of damage to newly planted vegetation.METHODSSite Evaluations - In early June 2010 Wildlife Services (WS) conducted site evaluationsat 63 properties to determine which sites needed geese removed (Table 1). WSspecialists documented the number of Canada geese and/or damage (fecal droppings,


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turf damage) present on site. Risk to local aircraft movements was also assessed.Additionally, efforts to reduce damage caused by Canada geese (e.g., presence of nofeeding wildlife signage) were documented. The list of sites eligible for geese removalwere reviewed and confirmed with New York City and other property owners. Of the 63surveyed sites, 23 were selected for goose removal. Due to absence of geese or inabilityto get to the geese on the day of removal at 4 sites, geese were only removed from 19sites (Table 2).Removal- Canada geese were captured during the summer molt period (when the birdsare unable to fly) utilizing standard goose round-up procedures. The summer molt periodis approximately June 15 to July 15 each year. If geese were in the water, then biologistsand specialists used kayaks or motor boats to push the geese onto shore and then intocorrals. The captured geese were placed alive in commercial turkey crates and thentransported to a secure location and euthanized with methods approved by the AmericanVeterinary Medical Association. Euthanized geese were disposed of in accordance withlocal health ordinances. Prior to disposal any identification markers (e.g. neck collars ortarsal bands) were removed from the animal for reporting and historical location dataanalysis.RESULTSRemovals were conducted between June 17 and July 14,2010. WS removed 1,676 of the1,877 Canada geese observed at 19 sites (Table 2).Fifty-five of the 1,676 geese were marked with either a tarsal band or neck collar. Of thefifty-five marked geese, 33 (60%) were removed from sites where they were originallymarked, 10 (18%) were removed at sites 1-7 miles from their original marking site and 12(22%) were removed at sites greater than 7 miles from their original marking site (Table3). Seven birds were marked at locations greater than 100 miles from their removal sites.A total of 454 geese were removed from Marine Park Golf Course (Gerritson Creek),Alley Pond Park and Pennsylvania-Fountain Avenue Landfill Complex (Hendrix Creek)where ecological restoration projects were recently conducted at a cost of $6.2 million,$20 million and $1.3 million, respectively (Table 4).

SUMMARYIDISCUSSIONThe location and habitat components of removal sites in 2009 provided a great amount ofinformation as to the preferred molting sites of resident Canada geese in New York City.Based on the information gathered during the 2009 goose removals WS was able toidentify and survey 63 sites in 2010, an increase of 16 sites from 2009. The extendedremoval range of7-mile radius in 2010 compared to the 5-mile radius in 2009 also aidedin the identification of additional survey and capture sites.


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Canada geese will often move temporarily prior to the molt to locations where food andwater are accessible without flying. The surveyed sites with no geese present during siteevaluations were more than likely sites where geese feed and loaf at other times of theyear, but were absent of geese at the time of site evaluations due to lack of suitablemolting habitat. The knowledge gained from identifying preferred molting sites in NYCwill allow for more efficient future Canada goose management.The number of Canada geese removed in 2010 was 1,676, an increase of 441 geese over2009. This increase is most likely due to the increased number of capture sites utilized.While the overall number of Canada geese removed increased, there were 9 capture sitesfrom 2009 that were surveyed and found to have none or so few geese that removals werenot warranted in 2010. Of the remaining eight sites used in both years, a total of 1,213geese were observed on the day of capture in 2009 and only 593 observed in 2010, a 51%decrease in total geese observed on the date of capture at those sites.Band and collar recovery data was analyzed to determine the distance geese had traveledfrom their banding location to the removal site. In general most (60%) banded geesewere captured for removal at the same location that they were previously marked.However, 40% of the banded geese came from other parks and natural areas, some ofwhich were more than 100 miles away. This data supports the need for both localizedCanada goose population management as well as regional population management.Overabundant Canada goose populations can significantly impact native habitats. Newlycreated or restored habitats are especially sensitive to grazing from waterfowl because thevegetation has not established a strong root foundation. The removal of 454 geese fromthree sites helped to protect 42 acres of newly restored wetland habitat which cost $27.5million. The successful establishment of these habitats is critical to absorbing stormwater runoff and reducing non-point source pollution, which is beneficial to humaninterests, other wildlife species and the overall ecosystem health.The benefits of reducing the overabundant resident Canada goose population arenumerous. Improving safety to the aviation industry and its customers is paramount, butthe added value of reducing damage to New York City's public properties and increasingenvironmental health should be acknowledged.RECOMMENDATIONS1. Continue Canada goose removals at New York City properties within 7 miles of localairports. This will further reduce the risk of a strike to aircraft by protecting againstmovement of Canada geese throughout New York City.2. Work with neighboring landowners to expand removal efforts, especially largeproperty owners such as city, state and federal entities.3. Utilize additional capture techniques to increase the number of sites and geese that canbe captured. This may need to be conducted at times of the year other than the molt.


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4. Continue to educate residents about the importance of not feeding wildlife and thebenefits of having a manageable population of wildlife that will not damage property andresources.

5. Increase enforcement of existing no-feeding policies to make public aware that it is acrime and is punishable.

Table 1. New York City, New York State and Village of Valley Stream propertiesd ~ C d d . J 2010urveye or ana a geese presence urmg une, .Borough or DateProperty Name County Surveyed

Alley Pond Park Queens 6/3/2010Arthur J. Hendrickson Park (Village of Valley Stream) Nassau 6/13/2010Astoria Park Queens 6/7/2010Baisley Pond Park Queens 6/9/2010Barretto Point Park Bronx 6/9/2010Bays Water Park Queens 6/7/2010Bicentennial Veterans Mem Park Bronx 6/9/2010Bowne Park Queens 6/4/2010Broad Channel Park Queens 6/7/2010Broad Channel Wetland Queens 6/7/2010Brookeville Park Queens 6/9/2010Calvert Vaux Brooklyn 6/4/2010Capt Tilly Memorial Park Queens 6/10/2010Carl Schurz Park Manhattan 6/8/2010Clearview Park Golf Course Queens 6/3/2010College Point Park/Old Flushing Airport Queens 6/9/2010Crocheron Park Queens 6/4/2010Crotona Park Bronx 6/9/2010Douglaston Park Golf Course Queens 6/25/2010East River Park Manhattan 6/8/2010East River State Park Brooklyn 6/13/2010Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park Brooklyn 6/13/2010Flushing Meadow - Corona Park Queens 6/3/2010Forest Park Golf Course Queens 6/4/2010Fort Totten Queens 6/3/2010Frank M. Charles Mem Park (NPS) Queens 6/7/2010Fresh Creek Park Brooklyn 6/4/2010Gantry Plaza State Park Queens 6/13/2010Gate Way Park Queens 6/7/2010Hallets cove Queens 6/7/2010Hempstead Lake State Park Nassau 6/13/2010Hermon A Macneil Park Queens 6/9/2010High Bridge Park Manhattan 6/8/2010Hudson River Park Manhattan 6/8/2010


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Inwood Hill Park Manhattan 6/8/2010Jerome Park Bronx 6/9/2010Kissena Park Golf Course Queens 6/3/2010Little Bay Park Queens 6/4/2010Marine Park Golf Course Brooklyn 6/7/2010Michaelis Park Queens 6/7/2010Mill Pond (Village of Valley Stream) Nassau 6/13/2010Paerdegat Basin Park Brooklyn 6/11/2010Pelham Bay Park Bronx 6/10/2010Pennsylvania & Fountain Ave Landfills (NPS) Brooklyn 6/10/2010Powell's Cove Park Queens 6/4/2010Prospect Park Brooklyn 6/4/2010Pugsley Creek Park Bronx 6/9/2010Queensbridge Park Queens 6/7/2010Rainey Park Playground Queens 6/712010Randalls - Wards Island Manhattan 6/3/2010Rikers Island Queens 6/3/2010Riverside Park Manhattan 6/8/2010Robert Clemente State Park Bronx 6/9/2010Rockaway Community Park Queens 6/712010Roosevelt Island Manhattan 6/8/2010Roy Wilkins-Southern Queens Park Queens 6/10/2010Rulers Bar Hassack (NPS) Queens 6/7/2010Sherman Creek Park Manhattan 6/8/2010Soundview Park Bronx 6/9/2010Springfield Park Queens 6/9/2010Udalls Cove Park Queens 6/4/2010Valley Stream State Park Nassau 6/13/2010Van Cortlandt Park Bronx 6/812010


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Table 2. Number of Canada geese observed and removed from New York City, NewY k St t d Vill f V II St rti d . J d J I 2010r a e an age 0 a ey ream prope es unng unean uly, .Number of Number ofDate Site CAGO Observed CAGO Captured

06/17/10 Van Cortland Golf Course 163 15706/17/10 Pelham Bay Park 58 5506/17/10 Forest Park Golf Course 26 2306/17/10 Brookville Park 8 806/18/10 Flushing Meadow-Corona Park 24 1906/18/10 Marine Park Golf Course 176 14606/18/10 Fort Totten 14 1407/06/10 Alley Pond Park 209 20807/07/10 Inwood Hills Park 38 3007/07/10 Roberto Clemente State Park 60 5507/07/10 Douglaston Park Golf Course 115 10907/07/10 Pennsylvania & Fountain Ave. 151 100*07/08/10 Prospect Park 372 36807/08/10 Rikers Island 37 3207/08/10 RandalisIWards Island 92 8807/09/10 Hendrickson Park 150 9107/09/10 Hempstead Lake State Park 85 7607/13/10 Gantry Plaza State Park 31 3007/13/10 East River State Park 68 67Totals 1,877 1,676

* Denotes a maximum of 100 geese removed as permitted by National Park Service.A total of 125 were captured and 25 were released to comply with permit.

Table 3. Distance between original banding site andfmal removal site of Canada geese removed from NewYork City in June and July, 2010.Distance Between Removal Number of MarkedSite and Banding Site (miles) Canada Geese Removedo (Same Location) 331-7 10>7 12Total 55

Table 4. Active ecological restoration sites in New York City at the same location orC d l sit . J d J I 2010ear ana a ~oose remova Sl es m unean ury, .Restoration Site Habitat Restored Acres Cost (millions)

Gerritson Creek Tidal Wetlands and Grasslands 16 $6.2Alley Pond Park Tidal Wetlands, Coastal Grasslands and Shrublands 16 $20.0Hendrix Creek Tidal Wetlands, Coastal Grasslands and Shrublands 10 $1.3Total 42 $27.5

new york city canada goose removals in 2010

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