The Canada Goose

What are peoples thoughts on the prospect that the canadian goose may have be drawn to the Australian environment by the need for seeds to be spread to areas in Australia that where usually seeded by such birds that have now been decimated by the impact of European settlement? E.g the Magpie goose and Cape Barren goose.  I come from Geelong, Victoria and Magpie Geese and Cape Barren geese dissappered along time ago. The plants that these birds  feed on may depend on such a bird for the survival of their species???

Peter

   

Tony Crocker <> Sent by: 05/11/2002 07:56 AM

To:                 cc:                 Subject:        Re: [BIRDING-AUS] The Canada Goose

Hi all

Laurie's sentiments are understood. I'd just like to correct a fact. Canada
Geese in NZ are no threat to Paradise Shelducks, or anything else, as far as
I know. They have both benefited greatly from pastoralism, and shelducks are
currently undergoing something of a population explosion.

However Laurie is right about CGs being pests. They are pests - to farmers.
They poo on pasture that stock then declines to eat (like most geese?? Cape
Barren and Magpie included?). They are also expanding their range in NZ. And
hunters can't keep them in check, so there are periodic and hugely emotive
and contentious organised culls. They are also regarded as pests in the UK.

The interesting thing in the US is that they are pests in places there too,
where human-induced changes have created areas for large numbers of resident
CGs, instead of smaller numbers of purely migratory birds. We just can't
seem to get it right!

Tony

                   *   *   *   *   *   *   *
Tony Crocker                        Ph. ++64 (3) 364 2163
Educational Travel                  Fax ++64 (3) 364 2057
Centre for Continuing Education, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800,
Christchurch, New Zealand.

"Against my will, in the course of my travels, the belief that everything
worth knowing was known at Cambridge gradually wore off" Bertrand Russell.


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