How to keep Canada geese away from your yard

Canada geese are quite a common wild home and yard intruder in some parts of the United States. For those of you unfamiliar with the species, a Canada goose is a larger goose with a distinctive black neck and head, contrasting white cheeks, and a typically grayish body.

What’s attracting Canada geese to your yard?

To be able to deter the animals from approaching your property, it’s important that you first understand what is attracting them. Canada geese tend to be particularly attracted to freshly mowed lawns, and other grassy surfaces near open water sources.

In other words, if you’ve got some sort of pond or fountain in your backyard, it’s quite likely that Canada geese will pay you a housecall.

One issue with Canada geese is that they tend to be extremely adaptable, which has often led to conflicts with humans. One of the concerns about Canada geese nesting on your property is that they will litter your yard with their feathers, and their droppings, thus exposing your family and your pets to harmful bacteria.

Another concern regarding Canada geese is that they tend to become aggressive during their nesting period toward any human they might regard as “a threat”.

So how can you keep them away?

Interestingly enough, Canada geese are attracted to nice lawns, as much as they are to food and safety. Generally, the nicer and more cared for your lawn is, the more likely it is to attract a goose resident.

Unfortunately, this also usually means that your property becomes the victim of goose damage, and other associated issues. So what can you do?

• Grow out your grass.

Since Canada geese are attracted to nicely maintained lawns, then a popular solution would be to let your lawn go a little. Don’t worry, we’re not suggesting that you submerge yourself in complete wilderness, merely that you allow grass to grow a little taller than usual.

Geese don’t like tall grass, since it doesn’t allow them to spot predators, so they’re less likely to nest in yards with high-growing grass.

It’s recommended that you grow your grass particularly tall near an open water source, such as a pond (up to 20 inches).

• Call a wildlife removal company.

The good thing about companies like Frank's Wildlife Removal is that they remove the offending animal, but also help you understand what attracted it to your property, in the first place. This makes for a more balanced solution, in the long-term, as it can help you take active preventive measures.

If Canada geese have been a recurring problem for you, it might be time to call a professional wildlife removal company, to figure out what is attracting them to your property.

• Let a dog scare them for you.

Bear in mind that not all dogs will scare Canada geese off, yet some animals like a Border Collie, or a German Shepard, are likely to chase geese away, thus effectively safeguarding your property. Visit howtogetridofcanadageese.com to learn more about bringing in another animal to keep geese away from your property.

Also, think about the other benefits of owning a dog, as it’s quite likely to deter other wild animals from approaching!

• Put up a fence.

Okay, this may sound like a bit of a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised how many people actually don’t think about putting up a fence, to protect their yard from wild animals.

Quite obviously, Canada geese will get in, as long as there’s an easy way for them to do so. Putting up a fence around your yard will not only protect against Canada geese, but also against other unwanted wildlife, so may prove a very smart maintenance choice.

• Chase them away.

This is one of the preferred methods for many homeowners, though it can prove tricky. Here’s how you do it: you simply chase off the geese, with a broom, or a bat, or another similarly menacing object while yelling or clanking together pots, or making noise in some way. You will need to do this for a few days in a row, but eventually, the geese will get the message.

The tricky part is looking for signs of aggression, as Canada geese may attack if they deem you a threat.