Young Canadian Goose with Fishing Line Around Neck and Beak

[DucksGeeseHeart]

A seven-week-old Canadian Goose that hatched on my property has turned up with fishing line in a loose noose around it's neck, twisted once and then apparently looped around it's lower beak. As a result he is unable to stretch his head all the way straight upright, the way they do when drinking water. The looped line holds his beak at a downward angle.

It took me until late evening today to get a good look at the line and figure out what was happening. I was somewhat relieved to see he was able to eat normally, so decided I could leave him overnight. (He's part of a wild brood, semi-tame; they come up to me when they see me, and let me stay very close, but will move away if I move too much or too quickly toward them).

I'm now really worrying about the drinking part. He *may* be able to get some water from dipping his beak in and not raising his head all the way vertical. I thought I saw a sibling or two who dipped this way. Almost always, however, they follow the move with the vertically raised head.

I just looked up how long a bird can live without drinking water and the answer is 2 days. I'm really worrying about the little guy again. And not sure what to do? There's a wildlife center not far from me, but whether or not I enlist their help, I believe it will still need to be me that somehow separates the gosling from his family (I'm thinking a simple calm herding technique - separate and corral in some kind of corner?). Once the goose is restrained, or constrained somehow, I believe a quick snip of the central bit of line will solve the problem.

I feel seriously unconfident I will be able to accomplish this, but now feel I must! I don't want to traumatize the gosling or his family. But also don't want him to die! He is clearly uncomfortable at times; I can see it's whenever he tries to lift his beak above it's forced downward angle, when standing or walking. He will go into what look like spasms, as if he's fighting with something - well he is, I now realize - it's the fishing line.

I feel like tomorrow morning (it's night here now) I need to do something.

I was told there was a goose who was injured here before, that time by a dog, and was captured and taken to the wildlife center. That was more of a no-brainer though, and the bird was easily picked up since it was injured. And after he'd been mended with surgery and attempted return to his family, they did not accept him back. The center took him back and to a farm to bond with other orphaned goslings.

I'd hate for this to happen to this guy - it's one reason I'd rather try to keep him on property where his family is, handle the bird myself somehow. He's not very little at 7 weeks, but when I move slowly around them they let me stay close. I'd need a very good plan though. Ach ... I'm just afraid it will be a rodeo.

Do any of y'all have ideas, or have handled a similar situation?

 

[raingarden]

You may only get one shot at catching it before it gets too skidish to approach so don't mess up. A long-handled net or, better yet, a throw net woud help a lot. The wildlife people might have some equipment.

 

[Callender Girl]

If not someone from the wildlife center, perhaps someone from the DNR can help. That's who I called when a juvenile great horned owl knocked itself silly hitting a guy wire (while apparently trying to attack my ducks). The DNR officer was able to capture and safely handle the owl -- who was recovering and quite cross at that point.

Good luck taking care of this little one!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I hope you can help the little one. Your plan may just work. Do you have anyone there that can help having more people might make it easier if they can form a fence and keep the little gosling away from the others long enough for you to cut the line.
Keep us updated.

 

[DucksGeeseHeart]

You may only get one shot at catching it before it gets too skidish to approach so don't mess up. A long-handled net or, better yet, a throw net woud help a lot. The wildlife people might have some equipment.

Oh, great idea about the net! That gives me a good reason to go ahead and at least call the center.

I called them a year ago about a wild duck. They said I'd need to throw a sheet over him, put him in a box and bring to them. (Of course that was impossible since the adult ducks were so quick to run and jump in the water). (That guy turned out to be fine after awhile, just had a limp which went away).

 

[DucksGeeseHeart]

If not someone from the wildlife center, perhaps someone from the DNR can help. That's who I called when a juvenile great horned owl knocked itself silly hitting a guy wire (while apparently trying to attack my ducks). The DNR officer was able to capture and safely handle the owl -- who was recovering and quite cross at that point.

Good luck taking care of this little one!

Thanks, this is a great lead! I'd never heard of DNR. In Virginia it's called Department of Wildlife Resources. One page on their site says you can contact a "wildlife rehabilitator"
and gives a list of local phone numbers. They're numbers for individuals. I think I'm going to try this first!

 

[DucksGeeseHeart]

Thanks, this is a great lead! I'd never heard of DNR. In Virginia it's called Department of Wildlife Resources. One page on their site says you can contact a "wildlife rehabilitator"
and gives a list of local phone numbers. They're numbers for individuals. I think I'm going to try this first!

Update: there are 8 numbers, 3 of which mention waterfowl. Two of these redirect to the Wildlife Center I spoke of. I did leave a message there, but their recorded instructions for every case are to capture the bird, place in a box and bring to the center. The third number did not redirect to the center so I've left a message and will hopefully get a call-back and maybe someone to come and assist.

 

[DucksGeeseHeart]

I hope you can help the little one. Your plan may just work. Do you have anyone there that can help having more people might make it easier if they can form a fence and keep the little gosling away from the others long enough for you to cut the line.
Keep us updated.

Great idea for a way to use others! I do have at least one other person who could help out. Although if they see more than one person coming toward them they will all move away. They only feel really comfortable around me alone, possibly one other that they've come to recognize a bit.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Any update?

 

[DucksGeeseHeart]

Any update?

Thanks Lydia for asking.

TWO people actually came out from the Wildlife Center today to try to catch the young one and snip the fishline. It was unfortunately very spur of the moment. I'd told an involved friend the story, and then she was talking to someone ELSE who turns out knew the administrator at the Wildlife Center and and got the ball rolling. But I didn't have time to explain the details or discuss a plan before the first WC helper arrived, with a small crate in hand. She had no idea they were nearly full-grown size, was expecting "little" ones.

A second person then arrived with two nets. Between the two of them they only succeeded in chasing the family first all the way across the pond, and when I'd succeeded in luring them back out of the water again, they then together chased them right back in!

The elder of the two, administrator of the center, told me to call her tomorrow when I can get them to a possibly better spot. But so far I'm not thinking it's a good idea. I can't see how they will succeed unless I come up with a really good plan.

The good news is that after everyone left and I sat still for awhile, the geese came back near me for water and food. Especially for water (I put a dish of water out since I'm putting dry food - they seem to love the water as much as the food, and will stick their beaks in while I'm still pouring). They came close enough I could get a good look at the line on the one guy's neck. It seems to sometimes ride up further on the back of his neck so that he can stretch his neck almost all the way out. He stood the longest at the water dish, drinking and drinking. I was glad to see he was able to get the water in him.

At the moment I'm thinking maybe just keep letting them come close every day - they were right beside my feet earlier - maybe they'll get tame enough I can reach out and snip the line?? That will take a while though, not happen soon. I was definitely close enough to have reached it today - except of course he would immediately have backed away.

Or still waiting for an idea to pop in my head. A way to trap him? Get brave enough to throw the towel over him myself? (the Wildlife Center lady said they will whip their heads around when trapped and held. BUT.. this little one can't do that because of the looped fishing line. Maybe, because of that, it will be not so hard . . . ) (?)

Still at the drawing board.