Tamarack Wildlife Rehabilitation & Education Center

Waterfowl

Waterfowl is a generic term used to describe a variety of different birds. The species of concern to urban areas include geese, ducks, coots, and swans.

Habitat: Waterfowl are traditionally associated with lakes and ponds but spend time on land as well. Artificial ponds and lakes, storm water impoundments, municipal parks, and golf courses all provide prime habitat for geese, swans, and ducks.

Diet: Waste corn and other agricultural crops are important food sources for ducks, geese, and swans. Ducks enjoy submerged vegetation and aquatic insects. Coots feed on fish, invertebrates, and submerged vegetation.

Public Health Issues Associated with Waterfowl

• Waterfowl droppings are a cause for concern in water quality.

• Some waterfowl species are carriers of chlamydiosis.

• Botulism outbreaks can happen among ducks, but ducks do not transmit this disease to humans.

Problems Associated with Waterfowl

• The primary conflict between waterfowl and humans occurs over maintained lawns, aesthetics, and issues of sanitation.

Solutions

• Avoid feeding waterfowl and you will reduce the chances of their taking up residence on your lawn or in your pond.

• Fencing can be used to keep waterfowl out.

Additional Notes

When you want to exclude waterfowl from a pond:

• Allow the vegetation along the pond to grow at least eighteen inches tall and at least three feet deep. Geese do not like to walk where they cannot see where predators may be lying in wait.

• Place nylon or plastic fencing - again at least eighteen inches tall - around the pond. Although geese can certainly fly in and out over fencing, they will avoid using fenced-in ponds because the fencing makes it too difficult to nest and raise their young.

• Use stone riprap along the shoreline. Riprap is a coarse stone put around edges of ponds and streams to prevent erosion. Geese do not like to cross this material.

• String "eye spot" balloons around shorelines to deter geese. Geese do not like unfamiliar things flying above them.

For problems with geese on land, a number of scare tactics can be used. Several scare tactics used in combination have proven to be most effective:

• Scarecrows can be used as long as some part of the scarecrow moves in the wind. A scarecrow every ten to fifteen acres is advised.

• A technique that has proven most effective is the use of two-by-three-foot black plastic flags, which can easily be made from 3mm black plastic. Each flag should be attached to a four-foot post. The end of the flag should have a V notch cut out to promote more vigorous movement when the wind blows. One to five flags per acre should be installed.

• Scarecrows and flags should be moved to new positions every few weeks. If geese get used to movements in the same place, they will return to an area.