| |
The giant Canada goose… looking for a place to stay!
Canada goose is the most known migrating bird of North
America. Early in the season, it is the sign Spring is coming, later it
announces the cold season. If, all around the world and for many reasons, a
lot of birds are endangered species, the almost mytical Canadian goose is
the exception. In 1950, there were around 1 million birds in Canada; as soon
as 1965, their count was over 1.5 million for the same living areas. Today,
there are 1.5 million of Canada geese in Eastern Canada only, for a total of
around 5 millions in North America.
For the whole territory, it is known under many categories: greater Canada
goose, interior........... . There are over 186 subspecies because of the
feather colors, body’s profile, length of the wings, body’s weight of the
habitat, etc.
But we must talk more particularly about the Giant Canada goose or résident
canada goose and its increasing presence on Québec’s territories.
Favorable factors
This almost unbelievable boom for the Canada goose is the
result of many factors such as preservation programs, particularly the
combination of both canadian and american governments’ different programs.
You can also count a good hunting regulation and the species reinstating
south of ancient reproduction areas from Pennsylvania, New York State and
west Ontario up to south Alberta.
Also, modern agricultural technics (cereals, grasses and corn) helped the
species particularly losses of grains due to mecanical harvest. Such
conditions helped the species in it’s outstanding population growth.
However, these days, this bird’s growth is a major problem in different
regions. The problems occurs not only in the farming environment, subject
previously written about, but also in parks and damp environments near
suburbs. Basic question for these birds remains feeding possibilities. They
even are residents of golf courses nearby lawns.
Complicating everything, these are places where hunting is prohibited; these
places then became like real improvised sanctuaries rapidly found and
occupied by the Canada geese. Without predators, the populations grows on an
optimum basis.
This phenomenon has an effect on South Canada and two-third of North United
States.
Situation in Canada
As unbelievable as it may seem today, in 1960, the giant
Canada goose (maxima) was considered as an endangered species in the whole
of the north american continent.
Fourty years later, the situation is completely reversed and the species is
even considered as harmful in some regions. In regions where they are plenty,
the Canada goose is responsible of important damages for the farmers and is
also becoming a real nuisance in urban regions. Also, these geese are
competing with the migrating geese for feeding resources.
Total population of these resident birds – called resident geese – is now
around 3 millions in North America. We must say that this a relatively new
expanding situation. The giant goose (branta canadensis maxima) is
fundamentally a migrating bird, like other species. During the 3 or 4 last
decades (app. 365 years), the species’ population growth exploded on the
whole of the territory mentioned on Chart 2. In south Ontario, the intern
migration giant Canada goose population is estimated at 350,000 and they are
using a more and more expanded territory. This happens to other subarctic
geese expense and makes cohabitations harder for less numerous species
having to share these nesting territories. The Service canadien de la faune
is now evaluating the ratio between giant Canada geese and subarctic geese
to have an exact portrait of the situation.
... and in Québec
The most realistic script of this phenomena tends to say
that this expanding Canadian goose population will finds its way in Québec.
First, in north Québec where giant Canada geese are already – coming from
Grand Lacs South region (Saint-fulgence, in Lac Saint-Jean).
For us in Québec, we can say that the occupancy – almost the invasion – of
some regions by the Canadian goose is in its first stage and we still have
to make out an evaluation of the situation.
During the last years, bastings have been made for some giant Canada geese –
mostly residents – in the regions of Varennes and Saint-Fulgence. Generally,
at the exception of years between 1996 and 2001, bird’s proportion which
made a direct return is considered weak. However, the return proportion on a
global basis is more significant because of the birds seen in Saint-Fulgence
were there only temporarely and those in Varennes were there for nesting.
With reinstalling migrating hunting, it will become interesting to see the
results with the basted Canada geese shut by the hunters. Specialists will
be able to evaluate the impact of the pre-seasoned and seasoned hunting on
the nesting resident canadian goose populations.
There is an 2,000 evaluation number of the nesting birds in couples for
Québec. Most of them would be south of Montréal, in Varennes islands and in
Contrecoeur, Repentigny and Lanoraie regions. Nesting period would be from
mid-April to beginning of May. Also, many Canada geese seen in these periods
are birds aged between one and two years coming in these regions simply for
moulting.
In conclusion, we can say that it is difficult to precisely evaluate damages
caused by the species. But we can be sure of one thing: observations allow
us to believe that many potential sites exist for Canada geese in the whole
region of Saint-Laurent River (from Beauce to Saint-Pierre and
Saint-François Lakes, all along Richelieu river, as well as Lanoraie and
Terrebonne).
Interesting future for users of this natural resource – Canada geese –
scientistics, hunters, ornithologists, photographer and all the
nature-lovers!
* Philippe Dupuis wants to thank Mr. Jean Rodrique for his precious
collaboration. Mr. Rodrigue is a biologist for the Canadian Wildlife Service
and is related to the studies for the Canada goose.
|
|
