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Flightless Geese
By: Marci HowerJune 20, 2025

Are Flightless Geese a Problem this Summer?

This summer you will notice a lot of geese feathers, and flightless geese on your property. This time of year is a critical period in the life cycle of Canada geese, and anyone wishing to remove geese from their property or use humane geese removal techniques must have a thorough understanding of their seasonal behavior. Understanding what geese are doing in the summer can make your planning more effective and efficient, whether you manage a commercial site, golf course, public park, or residential community.

Here’s what you need to know about geese in the summer:

  • Molting Season Makes Adult Geese Vulnerable:
    • During mid-June through July, adult Canada geese go through their annual molting process.
    • Molting involves shedding and regenerating their flight feathers.
    • They shed and regrow their flight feathers, leaving them temporarily flightless and can be vulnerable.
    • Because they cannot fly, these geese tend to stay close to water or open grassy areas for safety.
    • This is a critical time to consider different geese control options, as the birds are flightless and concentrated in specific areas.
  • growing canada gosling Goslings Are Growing Fast:
    • While adults are molting, goslings are hatching and developing rapidly.
    • Initially small and down-covered, goslings grow quickly and start to display more independence.
    • As they mature, they begin to interact more confidently with the flock, gaining coordination and strength.
    • Large groups of goslings and adults can create messy, disruptive situations on properties—especially where people gather.

Why This Matters for You:

When goose activity on your property is on the rise, this seasonal behavior can be a problem and an opportunity. The summer months are the best times to mix up your humane geese removal techniques because adult geese are flightless and families congregate in one location.

If you have water onsite, and there is no neighboring pond available to the geese, they will not have many options to leave your property. The use of dogs for hazing is not recommended during these months, because the geese are flightless. In molting season, the dogs can be effective by large lakes or rivers, this allows the geese to swim away safely.

Ohio Geese Control suggests using a combination of tactics which may include the following:

  • Chemical deterrents to get rid of geese on site during the molting season. Flight Control is a perfect option. This makes the grass unpalatable for the geese. The application lasts 4-5 weeks, and is a great bundle with other hazing techniques.
  • You can also put some visual deterrents on site, just be sure to move them frequently.
  • Fence off areas you do not want the geese. Since they are flightless, you do not want them to walk onto your property from a neighboring area. A fence can be a good short term solution, until the geese start to fly again in August.

How to get rid of geese humanely during molting season?

A qualified Ohio Gees Control staff member can inspect your property and create an effective, safe plan to get rid of  geese without causing damage, protecting both the birds and your property

Ohio Geese Control Services

Ohio Geese Control uses many geese deterrent techniques, we will provide a customize solution based on your property, number of geese and season. We work with you to dramatically lower your goose population. We want you to enjoy the outdoors, again!

It is humane. It is safe. And it is effective. Call us at 877-914-3373 for a quote!

Call us to learn how we can deter the geese at your property today.

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