Canadian Geese in Vilas Park:  Summer Activity in Zones 1 and 2, Related to Weather and Vegetation Buffer

Kelli Greiber, Megan Scheele, Julie Schlimgen, Laurie Seiler
2008

Introduction Methods Results Discussion Full Report

ABSTRACT

Large populations of Canada geese are a nuisance in many urban areas, especially in parks where goose feces interfere with people’s recreation. In 2005, the City of Madison and Friends of Lake Wingra planted a native vegetation buffer along part of the Vilas lagoon shoreline of Lake Wingra to test its effectiveness in deterring geese from Vilas Park playing fields. We compared resident geese activity from June 1 – August 31, 2007 in the areas designated Zone 1 (no vegetation buffer) and Zone 2 (vegetation buffer in place), using video recordings from a surveillance camera mounted on a pole in the shoreline buffer area. We counted geese visible from the camera every day at 8:00 A.M., 12:00 P.M., and 4:00 P.M., and compiled weather data for the same period. We hypothesized that the number of geese in Zone 2 would decrease through the summer months as the vegetation buffer grew and became a more effective deterrent.  We also predicted that patterns of behavior would emerge based on time of day and weather conditions.  However, results did not support these predictions. The vegetation buffer did not appear to discourage geese presence in Zone 2.  More geese were present in Zone 2 than Zone 1, and numbers increased throughout the summer. Geese were most abundant at 4:00 P.M. in Zone 1 and at 8:00 A.M. in Zone 2. Fewer geese were observed at noon. Geese may have shifted from Zone 2 to Zone 1 throughout the day due to increasing human activity in Zone 2. Weather did not have a clear affect on activity.  We discuss the implications of these results for management of geese in Vilas Park. 

Zone Map of Vilas Park