Friend or foe? Winnipeggers react to return of Canada geese

The geese are back in town.

It’s that time of year in Winnipeg when you can’t go anywhere without dodging geese.

But are they feathered friends or foes? CityNews spoke to Winnipeggers to find out.

“I like the Canada geese as a symbol of Canada,” said Guy Anderson. “And the fact that they’re back means spring must be right around the corner. But they may have been a little shocked by the amount of snow and ice still around.”

“They’re part of the Canadian culture, so I’m ambivalent to say the least,” added Bernice Hart.

Although they can be aggressive, it’s usually due to human presence around nests and goslings, according to the City of Winnipeg.

As for the noise? It’s because they’re most vocal during mating season.

Sometimes even taking your dog for a walk in the park can be a struggle, though that’s not the case for Fritz Zollner’s pooch.

“Jewel is great with geese,” Zollner said. “She loves to watch them, chase them and everything. Of course we keep her on the leash. Just like my wife does to me.”

Winnipeg’s Heather McDevitt has sympathy for the geese, and is calling on us humans to be better.

“People were throwing their diapers out of the car in the Walmart parking lot,” McDevitt recounted. “And then there’s geese along there, and they’re looking for food, and they’re eating that dirty diaper. And really, we’re here to share the space and not being throwing garbage around. Because I get very worried when the gosling come and they’re looking for food and they’re going into that plastic and garbage, which is not healthy for them.

“We’re on Treaty One territory. We are sharing the land and that’s part of sharing the land in a good way.”

The melting snow has created one extra problem: goose poop.

“That is not the most enjoyable thing,” Anderson said. “And then you’re tiptoeing around. It’s like you’re walking through a mine field.”

Anderson’s daughter Michelle shared a story of a goose encounter from a few years back that saw her lose a toe-to-toe battle with a goose while she drove a tractor.

“This goose came from his nest and just started beelining for me, chasing me,” recounted Michelle Anderson. “And I’m like, ah oh no.’ And my rider dies, and this goose slows down, and I think I’m OK, and another one dives down, latches onto my pants, goes crazy, rips my favourite pants. That was the worst part of it all.”