Urbandale’s ‘little monster’ gets geese to move safely, saving taxpayers money

On a summer day in Urbandale’s Lake View Park, about a dozen Canada geese lounge next to the water.Years ago, the birds overran the park to the point that it was almost unusable.So the city explored options for “geese mitigation,” which means moving flocks or motivating them to move away, said Scott Hock, the city’s assistant director of parks and recreation. The solution: Gertie.“She almost looks like a little fox, a little monster,” Hock said.Horticulture technician Allison Bose handles Gertie through remote control, similar to a video game.“It has all the different joysticks and stuff on it,” Bose said. In fact, Bose met Gertie on nearly her first day as a city employee three years ago. “I wasn’t expecting her to look so predator-like, with all the teeth and the really bright red color,” Bose said. “But it’s so effective.”When Bose pulls up in her city vehicle, the geese notice fast and hightail it.“Usually, her presence is enough,” Bose said. There is a balance to strike when communities and wildlife share space.“We like wildlife, but there’s sometimes where too much of it can be a problem,” Hock said. “It’s hard on the pond water. It’s hard on the trails and where people walk because they tend to leave a bit of a mess.”Geese droppings can eat up city workers’ hours to clean up trails and add chemicals to the water to deal with the pollution.The city said it had not calculated how much money Gertie has helped save taxpayers.Historically, Iowa offered ideal homes for geese with wetlands and marshes.Open, mowed lawns and open water appeal to urban geese that want to see predators coming, said Andy Kellner, a wildlife biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.Canada geese are a federally protected species under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.Kellner works with communities to mitigate Canada geese in legal ways. “We look at why are they here, what is the area, what is the food source, what is the water source, what’s the habitat that’s drawing them to the place,” Kellner said.Once those questions get answered, there are a few options: Adding fencing changing the area, hazing (or scaring them or motivating the birds to move), or direct removal. Direct removal requires government permission.KCCI Investigates contacted a dozen metro Des Moines communities. Most plant grasses that deter geese from nesting or use some noises when needed.“Des Moines Water Works has a great example where they’ve put in a natural prairie buffer,” Kellner said, “and it’s along the water in an area where they don’t want geese crossing.”The city of Des Moines has used noise and lasers.“It’s not just ‘Star Wars.’ Lasers are remarkably effective,” Kellner said.Homeowners can also take steps if geese roost on private property, Kellner said. Their choices: making noise, spraying with a hose, playing with a well-trained dog near the birds, drones, remote-controlled boats, lasers, and companies that specialize in geese mitigation.Kellner has not seen Gertie in action. He said most cities ban bird feeding, which helps with managing urban geese.There’s no perfect number for wildlife in an urban area.”That’s the million-dollar question to many of any wildlife species,” Kellner said. “It depends where you are and what’s going on.”

URBANDALE, Iowa —

On a summer day in Urbandale’s Lake View Park, about a dozen Canada geese lounge next to the water.

Years ago, the birds overran the park to the point that it was almost unusable.

So the city explored options for “geese mitigation,” which means moving flocks or motivating them to move away, said Scott Hock, the city’s assistant director of parks and recreation.

The solution: Gertie.

“She almost looks like a little fox, a little monster,” Hock said.

Horticulture technician Allison Bose handles Gertie through remote control, similar to a video game.

“It has all the different joysticks and stuff on it,” Bose said.

In fact, Bose met Gertie on nearly her first day as a city employee three years ago.

“I wasn’t expecting her to look so predator-like, with all the teeth and the really bright red color,” Bose said. “But it’s so effective.”

When Bose pulls up in her city vehicle, the geese notice fast and hightail it.

“Usually, her presence is enough,” Bose said.

There is a balance to strike when communities and wildlife share space.

“We like wildlife, but there’s sometimes where too much of it can be a problem,” Hock said. “It’s hard on the pond water. It’s hard on the trails and where people walk because they tend to leave a bit of a mess.”

Geese droppings can eat up city workers’ hours to clean up trails and add chemicals to the water to deal with the pollution.

The city said it had not calculated how much money Gertie has helped save taxpayers.

Historically, Iowa offered ideal homes for geese with wetlands and marshes.

Open, mowed lawns and open water appeal to urban geese that want to see predators coming, said Andy Kellner, a wildlife biologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

Canada geese are a federally protected species under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

Kellner works with communities to mitigate Canada geese in legal ways.

“We look at why are they here, what is the area, what is the food source, what is the water source, what’s the habitat that’s drawing them to the place,” Kellner said.

Once those questions get answered, there are a few options: Adding fencing changing the area, hazing (or scaring them or motivating the birds to move), or direct removal. Direct removal requires government permission.

KCCI Investigates contacted a dozen metro Des Moines communities. Most plant grasses that deter geese from nesting or use some noises when needed.

“Des Moines Water Works has a great example where they’ve put in a natural prairie buffer,” Kellner said, “and it’s along the water in an area where they don’t want geese crossing.”

The city of Des Moines has used noise and lasers.

“It’s not just ‘Star Wars.’ Lasers are remarkably effective,” Kellner said.

Homeowners can also take steps if geese roost on private property, Kellner said. Their choices: making noise, spraying with a hose, playing with a well-trained dog near the birds, drones, remote-controlled boats, lasers, and companies that specialize in geese mitigation.

Kellner has not seen Gertie in action. He said most cities ban bird feeding, which helps with managing urban geese.

There’s no perfect number for wildlife in an urban area.

“That’s the million-dollar question to many of any wildlife species,” Kellner said. “It depends where you are and what’s going on.”