They’re slow crossing the street, but don’t hit geese with your car. Do this instead
It’s not unusual for Canada geese to hold up traffic in our region. They’ll hang out in the road (sometimes smack in the middle) or cross very slowly, delaying impatient drivers until they wander into back onto the grass — or sometimes, until a fed-up driver intervenes.
But these geese are protected at the state and federal level, so hitting them with your car can result in a court appearance and a hefty fine.
The News & Observer spoke with Falyn Owens, an extension wildlife biologist with the NC Wildlife Resources Commission who specializes in Canada geese, to learn how we can best handle these stubborn geese holding up traffic.
How to get Canada geese out of the road
Geese have good memories and can be trained to avoid hazards. If cars always stop for them in one stretch of road, they’ll take their sweet time in that spot, knowing they won’t get hurt.
“It is possible to teach geese that they do not have right-of-way,” Owens said. “It is illegal to intentionally hit or injure geese with your car, but you can slow down to a near-stop and gently coax them to move out of the way with your car in a way that does not in any way injure them.
“The key is to teach them that cars won’t stop for them and they should not hang out in the road anymore.”
You should never touch the goose with your car.
“They’ll normally act surprised, like ‘I can’t believe this car isn’t stopping!’” Owens said.
What’s the penalty for hitting a goose with your car
If you intentionally harm a migratory bird such as Canada geese — for example, by driving through a gaggle of geese in the road — you could be charged with a misdemeanor offense.
▪ In North Carolina, that can mean up to $1000 fine and a court appearance.
▪ The federal charge, according to a spokesperson for the Department of Justice, could mean a heavy fine (up to $10,000 for misdemeanor charges and up to $250,000 for felony charges) and some jail time, up to two years.
