Central Park ice puts geese, ducks at risk.
No place in frozen Central Park for ducks, geese to forage. One Canada goose was found dead in Central Park, presumably a victim of the deep freeze.
Thousands of geese, swans and ducks will likely perish from starvation this winter unless humans throughout the nation step up.
.”The birds are desperate and I am desperate for them,” says Patty Adjamine of Manhatten, for years a rescue worker, who has been trying to keep Canada geese and ducks in New York City’s Central Park alive.
A dead Canada goose was found earlier in the week in the park, she says, presumably a victim of the extended deep freeze.
Canada geese, swans and ducks are suffering, say waterfowl experts.. And we need to start feeding them at city parks and ponds across the nation to ward off widespread starvation..
Even now, it may be too late, says New Jersey waterfowl researcher Betty Butler.
“This is such a sad, sad time,” she says. “So much of our wildlife, including geese and swans, are already dying. The water is frozen. And without human intervention, there won’t be enough available food. The historic cold is so widespread there may be no way even the strongest can travel elsewhere for relief.”
However, an official with the USDA’s Wildlife Services, who wanted to remain anonymous, says that many geese, including migratory geese wintering in the U.S., will fly further south in search of open water
”Geese like the fresh shoots (grass) in the summer,” he says, “but in winter,they like the underwater vegetation.”
Getting to it is the problem. When waterways are jammed with ice this thick, it’s hard to break through as the geese might in normal winters.
He also recommends leaving out grains to help the geese survive.
”Leaving out corn and warm water helps the birds gain strength to handle the weather ” says Lisa Tratiak, a Canadian waterfowl rehabilitator. Otherwise, she adds, the birds will starve and eventually succumb to a frigid climate.
She says the belief that leaving food out will entice the geese to stay all winter is a myth.
”The urge to migrate (or move on) is stronger than the urge to stay for food”.
She also says that trying to help a bird stranded on ice is too dangerous and that it’s best to lure them with food on solid ground.
In Wrentham, Mass., Misse Lanni has been feeding about five 50-pound bags of cracked corn per week to a core group of about 30 geese.
“Max and Mama are the grand old couple of the lake,” she says. ”They recognize our cars and come running when we show up. If they cross the road and we arrive we call out ‘goose, goose, goose, goose, come on home,’ they fly back to the pond to greet us.”
“We also get a lot of visitors in bad weather, so we can run between 50 to 100 geese, depending on time of year,” she says. “When the pond freezes we still check daily to make sure no one is left behind or hurt and unable to leave. We feed them cracked and whole kernel corn and for a rare treat wheat bread. We always carry food in our car just in case we see others that need food.”
Angi Metler, executive director of the New Jersey Animal Protection League, says people have been leaving out corn where they can.
She also recommends giving waterfowl nutritious foods.
“If you care enough to feed them, give them grains (rather than bread),” she says.
Metler was also encouraged by the sight of 19 geese flying overhead the other day. Heading south, we hope, where their chances of survival increase.
Even the geese at my city lake in central Alabama were stunned by the lingering cold. Although there is no snow or ice, there is also no grass, so we continue to feed them grains.
The day before Christmas, I spread 150 pounds of cracked corn, whole corn and a mixture called Scratch around the lake, a combination Christmas gift and necessary staple for some 50 incoming geese.
What to feed and when
- Cracked corn and other grains, including a mixture called Scratch, made up of corn, rye and barley, which they love. Whole corn is not as messy and easier for everyone to get some. Watch for lone stragglers who, without family, may be hard-pressed to get their share.
- Bread is fine as long as it’s not moldy, and In severe weather, can mean the difference between life and death. If you can afford it, feed wheat bread or bread that is rich in grains; otherwise a good white bread will suffice. Break into small pieces.
- In areas where there are no animal feed stores, there are other options. Patty Adjamine leaves out dry cat food which floats on the water and is an acceptable substitute. She also feeds the geese and ducks of Central Park fresh bread. Another person gives her geese Cheerios for their treat.
- Geese like to be fed at dusk, especially in winter, I guess, because it warms the tummy before bedding down. However. I begin leaving grains in mid-morning to accommodate our crippled geese. About 4 p.m., huge flocks begin arriving. The corn is usually waiting, much to their great happiness. Most leave before dawn the next day but come back for their nightly corn.
And don’t discount the mental benefits of feeding waterfowl, especially when they are in dire straits. For one thing, you’ll feel exhilarated.
I’ve fed geese in super-cold weather and felt as energized afterwards as the geese..You’ll also feel good about yourself as a human being.