Update on the problem ganders at the lake--mean brown Chinese is gone!

[desertdarlene]

A little while back, I wrote about two problem Chinese ganders at my lake and how they were rushing up to me and biting. I thought I'd post a little update.

I decided not to approach them very close if I didn't have to and they stopped rushing at me. They still threatened me if I got too close, but didn't run at me like before. I gave them their space. I noticed that they were like this with just about everyone, especially women.

But, something happened to the dominant brown one last week. On Monday, he was fine, being a jerk as usual and running around with his neck stretched out. Then, the next time I saw him, two days later, he was limping pretty bad. He still came up to me and when I approached him, he lowered his head and rattled his feathers, but he wasn't as aggressive as before. He ran up to someone else, but when he I was leaving and heading towards the other geese, he ran after me (I think he thought I was going to feed the others before he was fed). But, he wasn't aggressive about it.

Now, the last two times I've seen and approached him, he's been totally non-aggressive. I saw a woman feeding him and he didn't threaten her at all, just took the food and looked at her to ask for more. Then, he left. He's still limping, too, but I figured he stepped on a rock or something. I don't think he sees well, he steps on top of all the coots and other birds when he walks around.

So, everything is OK so far. However, there is another goose or gander that has gotten a little cranky and has moved to the other side of the lake with a companion. Sometimes, he runs up to me, but he's not as bad and his mood changes from moment to moment. One day, he's nice, another day, he's not. Generally, it seems, he tries to avoid humans.

I don't know if I linked a photo of the two Chinese ganders, here it is from my blog:

Here's the cranky gray goose. Maybe someone can tell me breed and sex?

 

[tigerluv700]

We have a similar problem at our community pond. There are two chinese geese, one male (brown) and one female (white). The brown male is a delight...a "good boy" we call him. Doesn't bother anyone, semi-tame, just a nice goose. On the other hand, his mate (we call her "Mama"...the white one...has become quite aggressive. She came to our pond at about age 7-8 months. She was a young thing and very sweet when she arrived. A couple of months ago, she began her aggressive behaviour with the golfers (the pond is on a golf course). I have been working with her, and she seems a little less aggressive. However; it only takes one lash out from a human to hurt or kill her. We are concerned. The brown chinese is mating with her....she has been acting a little quieter the past few days...not sure if she is getting ready to lay.

I think the goose you pictured may be a Toulouse?

How's it going now with the geese?

 

[tigerluv700]

I forgot to mention that "Mama Goose" is now a year old.

 

[desertdarlene]

I think the bottom one is a Toulouse, too. He's a little cranky sometimes and I never know when he's going to rush at me. Last time I saw him, he was fine with me, but it changes from moment to moment. Haven't been bitten by him, yet.

So far, at least around me, the two Chinese ganders are being good. But, a friend of mine said he got bit by one of the geese there and described these two, so I guess they're still terrorizing some people. I saw them today and the seemed fine, but the brown one is still limping badly.

 

[desertdarlene]

Well, now that the brown one's foot is healed, they're back to normal. I had to hesitate not to step on one of their heads when they were being total brats today and put their heads down close to the ground near my feet. I wanted to go take a photo of a particular duck, but they would not let me past them! I tried doing the arms open and waving them away, too, and they barely moved. Finally, I reached down and pushed them back. The white one was scared right away and backed off, but the brown one rushed at me until I grabbed his neck and pushed them back.

I don't like to touch them at all because I don't want people complaining that I might be hurting them or anything (thought I know I'm not, I'm very gentle, but firm). But, they were way out of line today. If I didn't think I would get into trouble, I would grab that brown one and hold him down for a minute or two, which is what I would do if he was my own gander.

These guys have no idea how much stronger we humans are than them. So many people do the little dance whenever they get aggressive and they feed them by hand, so no wonder why they think they're the boss of the place.

One thing that has changed is that the one guy who used to feed them a lot was told to stop, so they hang around the picnic tables all day trying to bully people into feeding them. Before, they would go to the other side of the lake after the guy would feed them.

 

[sourland]

dd, you are far stronger than them, but they are capable of breaking your forearm with one crack of their wings. I would try to stay out of their personal space if you are not allowed to appropriately subordinate them. They are just being geese, and in the spring when testosterone levels rise they will become even more aggressve.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Do you think the one that was limping could have been kicked because of his actions. My gander is such a bully, he bullies the ducks except his Alice , he bullies the chickens and sometimes if I don't have my guard up he gets me good I have had some nasty bruises and one really nasty wound from him, I hope these guys don't turn up missing because of their behavior around people. They could really hurt a child.

 

[desertdarlene]

He's actually on the small side and his wings are short and stunted. I've been wing slapped (and also tried to "push" me) by the brown one and it's a very weak slap even though it looked like he used all his might. His bite is also very weak, too, not like other geese I've encountered. I worry more about the embdens and the tolouse hurting me. The thing is, they would not let me pass by an area where I was perfectly allowed to be--but they shouldn't have been.

Generally, I stay out of their way, but I had to get past them and they needed to move. They've also ran up to me in "bite mode" and I don't back down when they do that. The city needs to realize that they are a liability even if they don't hurt anyone directly, but someone might get hurt trying to get away from them. I would call animal control as they were "dropped off" pets, but I would feel bad if they are euthanized. I actually do like them a little even though the majority of people I know don't like them.

Miss Lydia--It is one of my suspicions that he may have been kicked as he lets himself get way too close to people. But, it's equally likely he tripped over a rock because he's a clutz and doesn't look where he's going (he often steps all over the coots and ducks' heads). I also worry that someone is going to stomp on their heads, too. If you lift your foot towards them, they do not back off.

I worry about him with children, too, and all the local kids know they bite. Sometimes, they've been really sweet towards kids, especially boys. There was a mentally disabled man who had a ball with them, today, but they've always been better with men. They've been there for a few years and used to be sweeties, but they have gotten really mean starting about a year ago.

ETA: sorry for the long postings

We had a coyote or dog peruse that area, recently, and a couple of waterfowl got chomped on. Chinese geese, especially dominant ganders, have always been a popular victim for coyotes in the area because they're so vocal. There was a squirrel and rodent abatement recently, so the only food around is the waterfowl right now. So, if they go missing, it might be because of predators

 

[sillysister74]

The bottom pic is not a Toulouse. They do not resemble Thing one or Thing Two at all! My free loading demanding soft and cuddling lap lovers

 

[CMV]

Quote:
Agree. I have a Toulouse and she looks nothing like that bird. Similar in the face, but that's it for resemblance.