Interpreting Goose Vocalisations
The nuances of geese honking can be difficult to decipher depending on the circumstances you’re faced with. The sound a threatened goose makes may even sound the exact same as a goose that calls to its flock, or a general greeting call. Many of the geese’s social cues can help provide context clues as to what their honks mean. The geese communicate with their calling sounds and their body language. Understanding the situation the goose is in will help you understand their social communication and provide more insight into what exactly the goose is trying to communicate. Paying attention to the body language of geese will provide additional context into what each bird is feeling. Their vocal communication can alert you to read additional signs. Ignoring goose honks can be dangerous and cause problems, especially if you’re not familiar with their social behavior. Geese attacks can be somewhat vicious and the hard bills they use as weapons can be extremely painful. Continue reading to learn more about how geese communicate and if the goose calls you’re hearing could mean danger.
Honking Together
Geese communications are unique to each situation, however some people agree that geese consistently honk to help each other with navigation and helping each other find their flock. Geese are often seen honking in unison while a flock takes off from flight. It is assumed this is so no geese will be left behind from the flock and have to catch up as they fly away. These calling techniques provide a que for other geese to follow both while taking off from the ground, and while navigating through the air. Because geese fly in formations each bird sometimes will use a distinct pattern of calls. This is helpful for the birds to follow formation, stay alert, and not get lost while flying. A large flock of geese all honking in unison may not necessarily point to danger, for them or for you, but could simply be a way for them to communicate intended movement. Geese don’t just call out to each other for navigation, but also can honk to communicate with each other about potential dangers.
Warning Goose Calls
When geese feel they are in danger they will often use their honks to communicate as a warning call for other birds. This is common when geese feel they are being stalked by a predator, when another animal comes too close to their nesting site, or when they encounter a potential threat. Sometimes a softer honk will serve as a milk warning while a more aggressive and louder honk is intended to convey true danger. These warning calls are common for geese that are afraid of other animals, but also may be a warning call when humans are too close. These warning honks are instructions to other birds in the flock that danger is near and to take action. Oftentimes geese will flee when warning honks are heard keeping them safe from predators or other dangers. These sort of calls are life savers for geese in the wild, and are a useful tool for geese to use in metropolitan areas when humans get too close to them. If you’re near a goose and they start honking loudly they may be alerting other nearby geese or protecting their nesting site so it is probably best to vacate the area for your safety and theirs.
Intimidation
When directly confronted with something dangerous a goose will try to intimidate the animal. In threatening situations geese will become loud, honking aggressively. They may even hiss as a warning sign they plan to attack. If a geese feels they need to defend themselves or their nest they may show aggressive body language. Geese that feel threatened enough to attack typically will raise their wings, stand taller, and may potentially charge. Seeing the posture of a goose change is a good indicator they are feeling uncomfortable. To avoid any sort of physical confrontation with a goose back away and give it more space. By leaving the area you can prevent an attack from the birds that could be harmful to you and them. One of the most clear signs that a goose plans to attack is showing its tongue to you while shaking their feathers around. If you’re around geese, be sure to be respectful and watch for these signs of intimidation and aggression.
The Goose Call
While there are guides to best understand how geese communicate with each other, context is often very important. The loud honks and other natural noises can mean different things depending on the situation the bird is in. There are many more sounds other than honking that can help someone identify what the birds are trying to communicate. Not all sounds made by geese are meant to be aggressive. In fact, oftentimes when there is no present danger geese are very vocal creatures. For instance, a goose may cluck when it feels safe and is searching for food to eat. If a goose moans this is likely a sign of anxiousness or frustration. A goose that is clucking and hissing but doesn’t seem distressed may just be taking part in an instinctive mating ritual.
Is It Time to Call in the Geese Experts?
If you are dealing with geese that are aggressive or a nuisance and are struggling to know how to handle the situation, reach out to Goose Masters to speak with a professional. Geese can be a very difficult pest to deal with, especially when they are naturally drawn to a private property of a residence or a business. Geese love open areas and bodies of water, which is why they are often seen flocking to parks, hospital campuses, education centers, golf courses, and more. Goose Masters works to help relocate the geese by using professional techniques to trick them into feeling unsafe at a particular spot. The unfortunate reality is that geese who feel comfortable and at home will not likely leave on their own unless for migration. Even if geese migrate away they are likely to return to the same spot they have made into a home. Reach out to Goose Masters to get a plan set in motion to have a professional begin geese removal on your property.
Professional Goose Removal Services
Understanding how geese think is the first step in knowing how to effectively get them to leave a particular area. Geese can feel unsafe if they believe a predator is nearby, especially if the geese are planning to nest. They will want to relocate to a safer area that will provide a more comfortable lifestyle. One of the number one priorities a goose seems to have is the seeking of comfort, so if your property provides them with food, water, and a safe place to rest they will feel right at home. At Goose Masters we utilize professionally trained dogs to mimic a hunt in order to scare the birds. These Border Collies are the most effective way to get geese to leave and outshine any gimmick solutions that promise to scare away geese. We never recommend gimmicks like motion sensors, scarecrows, ultrasonic devices, or other devices that promise to solve your geese infestation problem.
Schedule A Consultation With Goose Masters
Having geese overrun your property is a difficult situation to handle. Geese are federally protected so only under very specific circumstances can they be physically removed from an area. Goose Masters has extensive long-term experience removing geese from properties and training them to stay away. We provide unique services for each client so that even if geese return we can continue to scare them away. Our professional geese removal service is utilized by homeowners, property managers, city parks, recreation centers, golf courses, hospitals, business centers, and more. We are a trusted geese removal service in the greater area and have proven time and again that our Border Collie removal tactics are superior to all others. Reach out to our offices to schedule a consultation and learn more about how we can help remove geese from your property.
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