SEAFWA 2017

AUTHORS: Morgan Donaldson, University of Georgia; Greg Balkcom, Georgia Department of Natural Resources; Michael Chamberlain, University of Georgia

ABSTRACT: Overabundant populations of resident Canada geese (Branta canadensis) are an increasing source of human-wildlife complaints throughout the species’ range. Resident geese exploit urban areas where populations have high survival rates and experience low hunter harvest, complicating management actions to control populations. We evaluated distances from banding to recovery sites for resident geese banded in Georgia, USA during 2001-2015. We assessed potential differences in movements between rural and urban, and non-translocated and translocated geese, by examining the distribution of band recoveries spatially. Rural and urban geese traveled similar distances, with 99 and 93% recovered in Georgia, respectively. We found that distances traveled by translocated geese were farther for both male and female geese. Our findings suggest that distances moved by resident geese are generally localized, and harvested birds were largely recovered in-state. This lack of movement by resident geese creates difficult management scenarios for state agencies, suggesting that integrated management actions are needed to address burgeoning resident goose populations.