Geese thriving in new suburban developments

Iowa’s suburban building boom is doing more than creating new opportunities for businesses and people, it’s also good for the geese. Iowa Department of Natural Resources wildlife biologist Bill Bunger says Canada Geese continue to enjoy the benefits of new construction.He says most of the housing developments and commercial developments have ponds built around them to hold runoff. He says those ponds are surrounded by grass and make a perfect habitat for the geese. While Iowans are moving to the suburbs for a new home to raise their kids, geese are doing the same.He says the geese are in the urban settings where they don’t have any predators, and their numbers keep going up. Bunger says now is the time when geese are starting to shop for that home in the suburbs.He says as soon as the geese get back to Iowa from warmer climates this winter, they start setting up a place to nest. He says that’ll start as early as February or March. The downside to the growing geese population is an abundance of noise, and geese droppings that some of the human suburbanites don’t like. Bung says the best way to alleviate the geese problem is to not be a good neighbor. First of all, don’t feed them.He says you shouldn’t allow them to feel comfortable. He says you might even have to go to the point of harassing them a little bit so they don’t set up their nests. He says harassing wildlife to prevent economic or personal duress is generally allowed with most wildlife species. However, harassment of geese which have an established nest, is not allowed by federal regulations.