Don't Feed The Geese

Help protect wildlife, water quality and shared spaces

Feeding geese may seem kind, but it can cause serious problems for the birds, local waterways and community spaces. Human food can disrupt their natural behaviors, harm their health and encourage overcrowding in parks, neighborhoods and shoreline areas.

By not feeding geese, you can help protect local ecosystems, reduce messes and keep public spaces cleaner and safer for everyone.

Why Feeding Geese Can Be Harmful

Geese are wild animals, and they are healthiest when they find natural food on their own. Feeding them can change their behavior and create problems for both wildlife and people.

Good to know:

Feeding makes geese depend on people instead of finding natural food
Bread and snacks lack the nutrients geese need and can cause health problems
Fed geese may return again and again, leading to overcrowding
Large flocks create more droppings in parks, on sidewalks and in yards
Geese that associate people with food may become bold or aggressive
Aggressive birds can pose risks to children, pets and adults
Overgrazing can damage grass, shorelines and natural habitats

The Impact on Our Waterways

When geese gather in large numbers, their waste can create more than a mess on sidewalks, lawns and public spaces. Rain can carry goose droppings into storm drains and nearby waterways, where they can affect water quality and local ecosystems.

How goose waste affects water:

Goose droppings wash into storm drains and local waterways
Waste adds excess nutrients that fuel algae growth and poor water quality
Polluted runoff can harm fish, wildlife and recreation like swimming and boating