The Question: Every day I pass by a lake and I have noticed a pair of Canada geese with their goslings. Today, however, I have already passed three times, and on all three occasions, I saw the goslings, but no sign of the goose or gander. Is this normal, or should I be calling someone to help these babies? Submitted by: Barbara, USA |
The Short Answer: I would leave these goslings alone. Unless you have some other evidence to suggest that something has happened to the parents, I would assume they’re off doing something else and will return to the goslings. Please update us.
Our instincts are to help wildlife that seems to be in danger, and baby birds universally trigger people’s protective emotions. But wildlife experts say that in 99% of cases, you’re better off leaving baby birds alone and letting their parents care for them.
More Information: A few days ago, I received another report of missing goose parents:
How can I rescue an injured Canada goose gosling? The parents are missing and when I contacted wildlife rescue they told me they didn’t have the resources to pick it up. They also told me if I could bring it in they would absorb the vet fees and look after it but I have no idea of how to go about the rescue.
I didn’t have any great ideas about how to catch the gosling, but when I checked with the reader a day or two later to see if she had caught it, she said:
No, unfortunately I can’t get near him now that a Mallard female with ducklings has adopted him. The gosling takes his cue from the female and she is hyper alert. He is still limping and his foot is backward, but he seems to be swimming ok and looks healthy enough otherwise, and he’s eating. He is about three weeks old now. He will no doubt be somewhat safer with the duck family. Still, I doubt if he will survive. I’m guessing Coyotes got the parents, as there have been sightings in my area of the city lately. The first time I saw and photographed the geese and gosling they came right to me. Because as soon as I saw the gosling I didn’t move at all. Made myself as un-threatening as possible. But the next day the whole population of wildlife on the pond was on full alert. I couldn’t get within ten feet of the pond before every duck and goose was on the water. It is the same now every time I go to this pond. I’ll keep checking on the gosling though and if I get the chance I’ll grab him. Maybe I can tempt him into coming closer with some oats. He’ll need surgery to fix that foot but if it’s left too long I don’t know what can be done.
Let’s hope the gosling does okay in this real life version of the ugly duckling story. It’s amazing how some animals adapt to disabilities.
Is This a Pattern: About a month ago, I received several “Who Is Eating All The Goslings?” questions. Now, I seem to be getting “Where have the goose parents gone?” This seems to be matching the timing of the breeding season, and I wonder if next year the pattern will repeat itself.
Sadly, the next day there was only one gosseling left on the lake, he was on the far side with no others anywhere to be seen. As of this morning, this single gosseling is also gone, and I have seen no other geese on the lake. I could only guess that the parents did not return, for whatever reason, and a predator has gotten to the gosselings. Although it is a sad thought, it is also nature, and since I don’t believe humans played any role in this, I know it is best to let nature take it’s course.
Barbara
Oh, rats. It is tough to see that kind of thing sometimes, but as you say, that’s the way nature works, after all. The other day, I was walking on a dirt road and saw first one, then another baby bird on the ground. I don’t know what species they were. They were without feathers, and seemed unhurt, but cold and dead. Looking up, the nearest branches where they might be a nest were a good 20 feet up. I’m guessing somebody, a squirrel probably, raided the nest and some babies got tossed to the ground in the process. Sad, but perfectly natural.
The Gosling with the broken foot who was adopted by a Mallard female is doing well so far. I last saw him two days ago. I have an update posted on my blog
My daughter had parent geese on her pond and five goslings hatched a few days ago and today all of them are gone She said she had noticed a man in a silver sedan stopped by her pond a few times to watch them and she wondered if he might have taken all of them. The goslings can’t fly for another 2-3 months. Do parent geese move their offspring???? Sounds crazy I know……
I have a pond in my backyard for 25 years the geese come here to lay their eggs…I saw them all yesterday with five or six goslings ..now today no parents no babies . Where did/do they go? This has been the pattern for the last 25 years
It’s possible that they use that site for nesting because it’s safe, and then move to another location that has better food once the goslings have hatched.