My Memories of Canadian Geese and Other Nuisance Birds

I remember when I lived in Ohio, and the Canadian Geese were everywhere. They were especially a nuisance to homeowners who lived near ponds or had swimming pools in their backyards. Because their excrement was everywhere, fouling waterways and foiling plans for parties and get-togethers, homeowners often employed a bird control company to help rid the area of the birds. It was difficult to walk in yards in which the geese were present. The grass was difficult to care for as it grew higher where fertilized, yet hid a “landmine, ” so the homeowner had to proceed cautiously. I used to joke that we should check their “green cards” and send them back to Canada.The geese were aggressive to domestic animals and humans alike.

An unpleasant early memory was my eighth-grade class picnic. I teased a goose when I ran out of bread, and he grabbed my finger instead. The rows of serrated “teeth” partially pulled out my fingernail, leaving me in excruciating pain for the rest of the day, and forever damaged my nail, which grows slightly crooked now.

Not just geese are a nuisance. In large cities, birds have taken to roosting on windowsills, their waste ruining views, and making walking a hazard below. The piles of waste are even damaging the cement of the very buildings upon which they nest. While pigeons may appear romantic in movies with their peaceful cooing sounds, these birds have become the bane of highriseapartment/condo owners. City mayors have vowed to control their bird populations, employing bird control companies.

Finally, where I live now in Texas, buzzards have become a nuisance on my own street. There is no shortage of roadkill for them to circle and feast on before returning to the tops of pine trees to sleep off their meal. My own homeowner’s association employs a bird control company to handle their population, restoring peace to our beautiful neighborhood.

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