Spring has sprung, and Canada geese have begun to fiercely defend their nests, often acting aggressively towards university students in Tallahassee. Students have grown familiar with the city’s defensive geese from social media platforms like TikTok. Many unforgettable goose sightings, interactions, and attacks have gone viral, with some videos surpassing 13 million views.
Tallahassee State College student Jake Chisari experienced one of these unforgettable interactions when he was chased by a group of loud Canada geese at a pool.
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“A group of geese at my friend’s pool looked like they were fighting against each other, but as they got closer to us, we realized they were becoming aggressive towards us,” Chisari said to the FSView. “Before we knew it, they were running straight at us, making as much noise as they possibly could. Me and one of my friends ran to hide behind the bushes in hopes that it couldn’t get us from there.”
Geese take over social media in Tallahassee
These all-too-common Tallahassee geese attacks have become particularly synonymous with Florida A&M University (FAMU). Countless stories of geese terrorizing students on campus have garnered viral attention through social media and news outlets.
In a TikTok video that garnered over 450,000 likes, FAMU pre-med student Landyn Langham is seen being chased by a goose flapping its wings. Langham told the FSView she saw two geese as she was walking out of a building.
“I got scared, so the geese started chasing me,” Langham said. “Every time I tried to run away, I was going closer to their nest that I didn’t notice until after it took place. The school has told people to be careful and to avoid geese via email, especially if there is a nest nearby. It doesn’t really affect my daily campus life; I just make sure to avoid them now.”
A majority of these student interactions involve the birds suddenly charging at students with their wings wide open. It’s an attack method that often elicits fear, but is ultimately preferable to being bitten by a goose’s sharp teeth found on their tongues.
Why are Canada geese aggressive?
Students are noticing more aggression from geese due to the current seasonal change. College campuses provide geese with great nesting habitats.
Canada Geese can often co-exist peacefully with people who pass through their spaces, but their defensiveness when laying and incubating eggs can lead to conflict with humans. Like any protective parent, many of these geese attack locals with the safety of their children in mind.
“What people experience as ‘aggression’ is usually a parent trying to drive away what it perceives as a predator,” Florida State University ecology and evolution professor Emily Duval said to the FSView. “If you get too close to a nest during the nesting season, the goose will try to push you away. Canada Geese are also strong fliers — they are capable of migrating for thousands of miles — and they use their powerful wings to hit attackers and scare them off.”
Duval says that some viral video content isn’t as innocent as many creators lead viewers to believe.
“In addition to viral videos of geese attacking students who are just trying to pass by on the sidewalk, it’s also easy to find videos of people approaching the geese to try to trigger an attack,” Duval said. “This only makes the problem worse for everyone, as the geese feel more threatened and are more likely to attack other people who wander too close to their families.”
How to avoid confrontations with geese
A nesting Canada goose chose a large planter in front of of Dillard’s as its nesting place. The goose is seen resting on its eggs outside the department store Wednesday, April 1, 2026. Due to its aggressive nature, especially during nesting season, the mall has posted signs and partially blocked off the entrance to protect the goose and patrons.
While many of these viral human-goose interactions are characterized by violence, they don’t have to be.
“To stay safe around aggressive geese, avoid areas where geese are known to be nesting,” Duval said. “If you need to pass by, walk calmly and steadily past, but choose a path that gives them lots of room. Avoiding confrontation is the key to staying safe around aggressive geese.”
These interactions are stable proof that humans and geese aren’t so different. Animals react aggressively to provocation and get defensive over their loved ones. This spring, avoid an intense goose attack around Tallahassee by respecting their presence and their nests.
Paula Fleddermann and Hayden Milanovich are Staff Writers for the FSView & Florida Flambeau, the student-run, independent online news service for the FSU community. Email our staff at contact@fsview.com.
This article originally appeared on FSU News: Aggressive geese strike fear on Tallahassee college campuses