They stop traffic on some of the busiest roads every day, geese crossing the road in front of heavy traffic. Chances are you’ve seen the posts on your Facebook feed, with frustrated drivers wondering what can be done.
Those drivers on Facebook have a lot of questions. We see some people honking their car horns trying to scare the geese, and frustrations can run high.
We went straight to the experts. Wildlife officials say taking things to extremes and intentionally killing a goose can get you into a lot of trouble with the law.
In Eastern North Carolina, many of us have seen geese crossing the road, bringing traffic to a standstill on busy streets.
I love seeing them. I just love seeing the babies.
Canada geese are protected under both state and federal regulations.
It’s illegal at the state and federal level to hit or kill a goose. Now, if a goose is in the middle of the road and you cannot stop, then it would be unintentional.
Wildlife officials say there are safer and more effective ways to deal with geese than trying to harm them.
In most cases, if you’re traveling at a very slow speed, around one mile per hour, you can gently encourage them to move. If it’s safe to do so, you can also get out of your vehicle and slowly guide them on foot.
You don’t have to resort to killing one to get them to learn how to move.
Officials say the growing number of geese near roads and suburban areas is often linked to development projects that create ideal habitats for the birds.
So where you have development that is surrounding some type of pond, you are guaranteeing that’s going to be attractive to geese year-round.
Officials recommend drivers stay alert near ponds and retention basins, where geese are most likely to gather and cross roadways.
They also advise people not to feed the geese, because it can attract even more birds to the area.