Rochester takes a gander at geese

Minnesota city tries population control to deal with problem of goose feces

MINNEAPOLIS — Too many geese and too much poop are stirring up controversy in Rochester these days over how best to control the city’s beloved goose population.

The town has long embraced the flocks of resident Canada geese that wander its riverfront and parks long after the migratory geese wing out of town. But an overabundance of goose feces that slicks up trails, dirties playgrounds and beaches and contaminates water prompted city officials to take action this spring to reduce the number of goslings that will hatch.

Over the past two weeks, a private company hired by the city and a group of recruited volunteers have roamed four local parks searching for goose eggs to slather in corn oil, which cuts off the oxygen supply needed for a gosling to develop.

Following protocols set by the Humane Society of the United States, only eggs that are within 14 days of gestation are treated because it’s believed the organism inside doesn’t yet experience pain, said Paul Widman, Rochester’s director of parks and recreation.

Eggs that rise or float in a bucket of water indicate a developing embryo and are returned to the nest to be hatched, he said. Treated eggs also are returned to the nest because if they weren’t, the geese would lay more.

After the normal 28 days of gestation, volunteers destroy the treated eggs so that the mother geese still on the nests can move on.

Critics of the oiling have been quick to light up social media, shaming city officials for interfering with nature.

“Disgusting. The City of Rochester should be ashamed,” said one Facebook post.

“I hope those geese attack them when they go near the eggs,” said another.

Proponents, however, have been just as quick to defend the city.

“To all the people that are so upset about this. Take the time to go down there with shovels, wheel barrows. … clean up the massive amounts of feces on a regular basis,” one poster wrote.

City Council Member Kelly Kirkpatrick said this week that crows flocking downtown in winter are a bigger problem than the geese.

“They roost in the trees downtown and all night long they’re pooing,” she said. “It’s absolutely everywhere.”