The biology of canada geese Branta canadensis in relation to the management of feral populations
Feral populations of the canada goose Branta canadensis continue to grow at around 8% per year in the UK. The growing feral populations in Europe and non‐migratory populations of ‘urban’ canada geese in North America are beginning to conflict with human interests. In response to increasingly frequen...
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.2981/wlb.1995.018 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.2981/wlb.1995.018 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.2981/wlb.1995.018 |
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crwiley:10.2981/wlb.1995.018 2024-04-14T08:09:57+00:00 The biology of canada geese Branta canadensis in relation to the management of feral populations Allan, John R. Kirby, Jeffrey S. Feare, Christopher J. 1995 http://dx.doi.org/10.2981/wlb.1995.018 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.2981/wlb.1995.018 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.2981/wlb.1995.018 en eng Wiley http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor Wildlife Biology volume 1, issue 3, page 129-143 ISSN 1903-220X 1903-220X Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law Nature and Landscape Conservation Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics journal-article 1995 crwiley https://doi.org/10.2981/wlb.1995.018 2024-03-19T10:49:00Z Feral populations of the canada goose Branta canadensis continue to grow at around 8% per year in the UK. The growing feral populations in Europe and non‐migratory populations of ‘urban’ canada geese in North America are beginning to conflict with human interests. In response to increasingly frequent calls for control of this species, we review the scientific literature concerning the biology of feral populations in an attempt to determine why such rapid population growth has occurred. We also examine the available evidence about the problems caused by canada geese and the published information on the management techniques already tested. Feral canada geese are highly fecund, producing up to six young per pair, and have high fledging success. This allows populations to continue to grow even in areas with high levels of mortality in both adult and immature birds, mostly as a result of shooting. Population growth has been most rapid in urban areas with little shooting pressure and correspondingly low adult mortality. Site faithfulness, particularly in females, has probably slowed the spread of canada geese to new habitats, many of which have been created by man. Many apparently suitable sites remain unoccupied at present, and the factors which govern the carrying capacity of existing sites are not fully understood. The upper limits to the growth of feral populations are therefore difficult to estimate, but there is little evidence that density‐dependent factors are acting to regulate population size except at long‐established breeding sites. Canada geese can cause damage to agricultural crops and amenity areas resulting in significant localised economic loss particularly in areas close to water bodies. In most countries the extent and cost of the damage caused has not been fully evaluated, and evidence in support of the need for control on a national or international level is currently weak. Work on the impact of canada geese on other waterfowl and on the possibility that they may transmit diseases to humans is ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Branta canadensis Canada Goose Wiley Online Library Canada Wildlife Biology 1 3 129 143 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Wiley Online Library |
op_collection_id |
crwiley |
language |
English |
topic |
Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law Nature and Landscape Conservation Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics |
spellingShingle |
Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law Nature and Landscape Conservation Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics Allan, John R. Kirby, Jeffrey S. Feare, Christopher J. The biology of canada geese Branta canadensis in relation to the management of feral populations |
topic_facet |
Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law Nature and Landscape Conservation Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics |
description |
Feral populations of the canada goose Branta canadensis continue to grow at around 8% per year in the UK. The growing feral populations in Europe and non‐migratory populations of ‘urban’ canada geese in North America are beginning to conflict with human interests. In response to increasingly frequent calls for control of this species, we review the scientific literature concerning the biology of feral populations in an attempt to determine why such rapid population growth has occurred. We also examine the available evidence about the problems caused by canada geese and the published information on the management techniques already tested. Feral canada geese are highly fecund, producing up to six young per pair, and have high fledging success. This allows populations to continue to grow even in areas with high levels of mortality in both adult and immature birds, mostly as a result of shooting. Population growth has been most rapid in urban areas with little shooting pressure and correspondingly low adult mortality. Site faithfulness, particularly in females, has probably slowed the spread of canada geese to new habitats, many of which have been created by man. Many apparently suitable sites remain unoccupied at present, and the factors which govern the carrying capacity of existing sites are not fully understood. The upper limits to the growth of feral populations are therefore difficult to estimate, but there is little evidence that density‐dependent factors are acting to regulate population size except at long‐established breeding sites. Canada geese can cause damage to agricultural crops and amenity areas resulting in significant localised economic loss particularly in areas close to water bodies. In most countries the extent and cost of the damage caused has not been fully evaluated, and evidence in support of the need for control on a national or international level is currently weak. Work on the impact of canada geese on other waterfowl and on the possibility that they may transmit diseases to humans is ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Allan, John R. Kirby, Jeffrey S. Feare, Christopher J. |
author_facet |
Allan, John R. Kirby, Jeffrey S. Feare, Christopher J. |
author_sort |
Allan, John R. |
title |
The biology of canada geese Branta canadensis in relation to the management of feral populations |
title_short |
The biology of canada geese Branta canadensis in relation to the management of feral populations |
title_full |
The biology of canada geese Branta canadensis in relation to the management of feral populations |
title_fullStr |
The biology of canada geese Branta canadensis in relation to the management of feral populations |
title_full_unstemmed |
The biology of canada geese Branta canadensis in relation to the management of feral populations |
title_sort |
biology of canada geese branta canadensis in relation to the management of feral populations |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
1995 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.2981/wlb.1995.018 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.2981/wlb.1995.018 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.2981/wlb.1995.018 |
geographic |
Canada |
geographic_facet |
Canada |
genre |
Branta canadensis Canada Goose |
genre_facet |
Branta canadensis Canada Goose |
op_source |
Wildlife Biology volume 1, issue 3, page 129-143 ISSN 1903-220X 1903-220X |
op_rights |
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.2981/wlb.1995.018 |
container_title |
Wildlife Biology |
container_volume |
1 |
container_issue |
3 |
container_start_page |
129 |
op_container_end_page |
143 |
_version_ |
1796307434622418944 |