Why are people afraid of geese?

[kwhites634]

There's a surprisingly large number of videos on the Internet of grown people being afraid of geese, and I do not understand why. I understand initial alarm if one flies at you, but geese aren't very big compared to humans.
Heck, I figured out how to deal with an aggressive feral goose when I was 12. When it comes at you to bite you, you grab it right behind the head, hold just tight enough to keep your grip, crouch, trap its wings against its sides with your other arm, and lift. Basically you hold it like bagpipes. Keep hold of the head, keep hold of the body, and it can't do anything but honk. Half the time you can let go of the head and it just stares at you in confusion.
They're not that scary! I'd understand people running away from swans, swans are big and probably have really nasty bites, but geese aren't that bad.

Roosters are even smaller, but they'll flog the H3LL out of you if they're intent on it. Geese can & will beat a tattoo on your chest, 'specially if they have fledgelings. I had to beat one off with the end of my fishing rod once.

 

[kwhites634]

Yes swans are quite aggressive and large. Especially when you have to take their babies! But not as bad as my one nasty crane. He is a flying
4’ bird with a sword for a beak and razor blades for nails. I have plenty of scars from him. He just does not give up.

Baked Crane!

 

[prostar]

Try this on a Canada goose.

They are satan’s spawn lol

 

[Miss Lydia]

I love my geese but I can vouch for the fact when breeding season is under way those bites can really hurt or injure. My gander got me on the lip once and it looked like someone had hit me with a 2X4. He doesn't get that chance any longer and even though people said roast him he is going on 12 yrs old now and we have mutual respect for each other. Geese are very protective of their mates and their goslings. I think that is so cool. It's up to us humans to respect them.

 

[kwhites634]

A friend of mine has a business ridding public areas of aggressive geese. She started 'geesepeace'.
Not all urbanites have your experience with these large aggressive birds that are potentially dangerous when relentlessly defending their nests or goslings. They are terrified when the birds attack. The businesses in question are liable for injuries, even if that is from someone falling when evading an attacking gander.

 

[JedJackson]

I think they are mainly scary to little kids and people that aren't around animals much. Which I can understand-- they are a little intimidating when they hold their necks forwards, parallel to the ground, and start honking crazily. But generally geese only attack if you are in their nesting area, or if they are defending food. And the vast majority of times a goose will only nip a person, not engage in a full on attack.

I had a pair of brown Chinese geese when I was just a little child, and I learned quickly to avoid the nesting area, and to get out of the way after feeding them. They weren't exactly friendly, but they never acted aggressive. I think if more people understood the behavior of geese there would be a lot less fear.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I don't fear them. I do respect those huge wings, bill and claws.

Oh yes they have claws! When held so they cannot use bill or wings they can flail with those claws. I got a good cut on my side carrying a goose to the barn door in winter. The claws went right through my hoodie.

 

[sourland]

Now, see, cranes I get! Cranes have knives on their faces. Geese don't have much, aside from the biting.

Apparently you have never been wing smacked by a protective gander.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Boy I have and you should have seen the look on the techs face when he was straightening out my glasses and I told him how it happened.

 

[HeyHeyWW]

Yeah, I really don't know why people are so scared of geese...
I mean, my brother is scared of my rooster, and he is pretty small. XD I would understand if it's a bird like an ostrich... those can kill you. And cranes, their beaks are SHARP. But geese... they aren't scary at all. They are cute and if they do peck you, it doesn't hurt that much.
But people have different fears, soo... yeah.