Re: [cayugabirds-l] Snow Geese - A Huge Problem
Hi everyone, Here is a great article from Ducks Unlimited: https://www.ducks.org/conservation/national/light-goose-dilemma There can be a great impact on the public when we get to experience things like the annual spring Snow Goose migration through the Finger Lakes, because it is amazing! Whenever I work with a tour group or give a presentation, I include this sort of information about the degradation of the arctic breeding grounds. The spectacle of seeing the geese can open up conversations about climate change, carrying capacity, and relative perspectives. We love them, but they're here for such a short amount of time I think we can all agree on the general feeling toward Canada Geese: messy, mean, ew, too many, pests, etc. Do we value Snow Geese more because they're graceful white birds similar to swans? And, because they're not here long enough to annoy us and degrade crops? I always talk a lot about Mute Swans and European Starlings in these kinds of conversations. Ecologically, both species are similar in the damages they cause to native breeding birds, but we all know that many people LOVE Mute Swans and detest Starlings. Why? Big, white, graceful bird who is mostly out of sight and out of mind in a wetland somewhere when attacking and killing native birds? The carnage isn't as always in your face like we might see Starlings do. They'll come to our feeders by the dozens and many people see first-hand the damage they do because of nest boxes we check on, thus are more apt to see the carnage. Anyway, there is a lot of psychology involved with wildlife management and public perception of wildlife and it's interesting to discuss. Back to the article: "Light Goose" refers to Lesser and Greater Snow Geese, as well as Ross's Geese collectively (vs darker Canadas). A few excerpts: "Why have light goose numbers increased so dramatically over the past half century? In simple terms, the birds have benefited from the expansion of agriculture on their migration<http://www.ducks.org/hunting/migration> and wintering areas, which has provided them with an almost unlimited food supply. This has increased survival, allowing more young birds to reach breeding age and more adults to return to the breeding grounds in better condition, which has increased productivity. Changes in land use have also altered the migration and wintering distribution of light geese. ... In recent decades, light geese have become more widely distributed as the birds have shifted to a diet largely consisting of waste grain and other agricultural foods during migration and winter. Lesser snow geese are now wintering farther north and over a much greater area than ever before, and Ross's geese have steadily expanded their range eastward over the past few decades." "The effects of light goose overabundance were initially documented on breeding areas in the central and eastern Arctic and subarctic, but recent surveys indicate that population growth of lesser snow geese could also be occurring in the western Arctic at a similar pace. Although waterfowl managers believe existing breeding habitats can support light goose populations at current levels, the point at which continued population growth will exceed the capacity of the landscape to sustain the birds has yet to be determined. When traditional breeding habitats are degraded, light geese simply shift to different habitats or move to new areas where conditions are more favorable. No one knows how much potential breeding habitat exists in the Arctic and subarctic, or the proportion of current light goose breeding habitat that has been damaged or destroyed. In addition, more research is needed to determine light goose impacts on migration habitats during spring and fall." "Defining a problem is not nearly as difficult as solving it, and so far the primary means of light goose population control has been through harvest management. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) have the shared responsibility of conserving waterfowl under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act in the United States and the Migratory Birds Convention Act in Canada. State and provincial wildlife agencies are also partners with significant management authority and operate within harvest frameworks established by federal agencies." Alyssa Alyssa Johnson Environmental Educator Montezuma Audubon Center From: bounce-12640-79436...@list.cornell.edu on behalf of Meredith Leonard Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2022 12:39:37 PM To: Mary D ; cayugabirds-L@Cornell.Edu ; Charles Rouse ; eatonbirdingsoci...@groups.io Subject: Re: [cayugabirds-l] Snow Geese - A Huge Problem Hello, Can someone please explain how this population of Snow Geese we saw this year is out of the ordinary over the long haul. Have human beings somehow contributed to an ov
Re: [cayugabirds-l] Snow Geese - A Huge Problem
Hello, Can someone please explain how this population of Snow Geese we saw this year is out of the ordinary over the long haul. Have human beings somehow contributed to an overpopulation? Don't the populations always ebb and flow depending on many factors? thanks for any input, Meredith On Mar 22, 2022, at 11:07 AM, Mary D wrote: Why was this really necessary? The study and data referenced is 25 years old and much has improved since then. In an effort to reduce their numbers, many states, including New York, allow spring hunting of Snow Geese for at least over ten years, even though many are already carrying eggs. In addition, these 'breathtaking' flocks give many people of all ages joy and provide a means for many to start getting interested in birds and their causes that might not be otherwise. From: bounce-126421229-3493...@list.cornell.edu on behalf of Charles Rouse Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2022 8:32 AM To: 'eatonbirdingsoci...@groups.io' ; cayugabirds-L@Cornell.Edu Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Snow Geese - A Huge Problem Greetings All, For all of you who have been seeing the Snow Goose “breathtaking spectacle” throughout the Finger Lakes area and think it’s just the coolest thing you’ve ever seen – think again. A number of years ago I attended a program at MNWR which focused on the out-of-control Snow Goose population and the devastating effect they are having the tundra where they breed. Bottom line is that Snow Geese are destroying the ultra-fragile tundra, which is made up of primarily of lichens which grow exceedingly slow. Snow Goose foraging behavior causes them to uproot the lichens entirely rather than nip them off above ground, which results in a Tundra desert. I encourage everyone to Google: Trouble on the Tundra: Snow Geese Under The Gun, by Howard Schneider, 1997. If this was a major concern 25 years ago, imagine what the effect is today. Charlie Rouse Geneva, NY -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics Rules and Information Subscribe, Configuration and Leave Archives: The Mail Archive Surfbirds BirdingOnThe.Net Please submit your observations to eBird! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics Rules and Information Subscribe, Configuration and Leave Archives: The Mail Archive Surfbirds BirdingOnThe.Net Please submit your observations to eBird! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
Re:[cayugabirds-l] Snow Geese - A Huge Problem
Why was this really necessary? The study and data referenced is 25 years old and much has improved since then. In an effort to reduce their numbers, many states, including New York, allow spring hunting of Snow Geese for at least over ten years, even though many are already carrying eggs. In addition, these 'breathtaking' flocks give many people of all ages joy and provide a means for many to start getting interested in birds and their causes that might not be otherwise. From: bounce-126421229-3493...@list.cornell.edu on behalf of Charles Rouse Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2022 8:32 AM To: 'eatonbirdingsoci...@groups.io' ; cayugabirds-L@Cornell.Edu Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Snow Geese - A Huge Problem Greetings All, For all of you who have been seeing the Snow Goose “breathtaking spectacle” throughout the Finger Lakes area and think it’s just the coolest thing you’ve ever seen – think again. A number of years ago I attended a program at MNWR which focused on the out-of-control Snow Goose population and the devastating effect they are having the tundra where they breed. Bottom line is that Snow Geese are destroying the ultra-fragile tundra, which is made up of primarily of lichens which grow exceedingly slow. Snow Goose foraging behavior causes them to uproot the lichens entirely rather than nip them off above ground, which results in a Tundra desert. I encourage everyone to Google: Trouble on the Tundra: Snow Geese Under The Gun, by Howard Schneider, 1997. If this was a major concern 25 years ago, imagine what the effect is today. Charlie Rouse Geneva, NY -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> Rules and Information<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> Archives: The Mail Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> Surfbirds<http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> BirdingOnThe.Net<http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> Please submit your observations to eBird<http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
[cayugabirds-l] Snow Geese - A Huge Problem
Greetings All, For all of you who have been seeing the Snow Goose "breathtaking spectacle" throughout the Finger Lakes area and think it's just the coolest thing you've ever seen - think again. A number of years ago I attended a program at MNWR which focused on the out-of-control Snow Goose population and the devastating effect they are having the tundra where they breed. Bottom line is that Snow Geese are destroying the ultra-fragile tundra, which is made up of primarily of lichens which grow exceedingly slow. Snow Goose foraging behavior causes them to uproot the lichens entirely rather than nip them off above ground, which results in a Tundra desert. I encourage everyone to Google: Trouble on the Tundra: Snow Geese Under The Gun, by Howard Schneider, 1997. If this was a major concern 25 years ago, imagine what the effect is today. Charlie Rouse Geneva, NY -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --