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How To Get Rid Of Geese: 15 Quick Ways

Geese are large migratory birds that are part of the bird family Anseridae. Geese have been thought to be dirty, jealous, and even dangerous animals.

Today they are considered pests because they damage crops, cause health problems and disrupt the natural environment by leaving a foul-smelling mess behind when they migrate during winter in search of food in agricultural fields.

Ultimately if you live in a community where geese are common, it is your responsibility to keep them from damaging property or harming others. There are a variety of methods you can use to get rid of geese.

To learn what you can do to control these nuisance birds from destroying your plants and crops, read the following article on how to get rid of geese.

How To Get Rid Of Geese


15 Ways How to get rid of Geese


1. Get a Dog

A dog will help you keep geese away from your property.
A dog will help you keep geese away from your property.

A dog will help you keep geese away from your property. It won’t matter if you have a large goose or a small one, the dog will chase it away. The dog should be of a medium or large breed known to be aggressive, such as a rottweiler.

German shepherd, or even a Doberman. Train your dog to bark when geese appear and encourage it to chase after them.

Expert Tip: Geese are territorial, and the presence of a dog will not make them welcome in your yard. If you notice that a goose is heading towards your property, stop it with the help of your dog.


2. Eliminate geese’ food resources

Geese need to eat, so they will keep coming back if they know that there is a food source near your property. The easiest way to get rid of geese is to remove the food source and make them seek other places where they can find food.

If you have a pond on your land, you should eliminate the water since geese spend most of their time around ponds and lakes searching for fish and other aquatic animals.


3. Grow your grass taller

Grow your grass taller
Grow your grass taller

They do not like tall grass because they tend to eat it. Geese prefer short grass to graze on since it is easier to eat. Grass also produces a high amount of forage for them. So to get rid of geese, you can leave the grass tall and let it grow. You can also plant bamboo around your property to keep them away.

Bamboo shoots are very sharp and difficult for geese to chew on. Plant grass with seeds or clippings since geese are known to be greedy feeders. A thick, green lawn will make it hard for them to walk around and find food.


4. Use loud noises to Scare geese

It is believed that loud noise can frighten geese away. This method will be the most effective if used in conjunction with other ones. Pipes, whistles, and noisemakers are available to scare off geese.

For example, if you want to scare the geese away and keep your plants safe, you can use deterrents such as oil, loud noises, or even dogs. You can also playback the calls of other birds. Geese do not like other birds’ sounds, so playing a recording of their sounds may help you get rid of them.


5. Prevent geese from nesting in your trees

Geese can damage tree branches by pecking at them. To prevent this, you can use a bird net to cover the tops of your trees. Bird nets have a mesh-like design that makes it difficult for birds to fly in that area. You can also use a hawk, owl, or even a snake to guard the trees to prevent geese from landing and nesting.

So if you prevent them from laying their eggs in your yard, they will be forced to look for another place to settle.


6. Implement a motion-activated sprinkler to Scare geese

Implement a motion-activated sprinkler to scare geese.
Implement a motion-activated sprinkler to scare geese.

You can use water to scare the geese away. Motion-activated sprinklers will turn on when they detect a bird or animal moving in the area. Geese will be confused and scared by the movement of the water, and you can use this to get rid of them.

Motion-activated sprinklers also work for other bird species because they have been designed with a wide spray angle. Once the geese are consistently disturbed by motion-activated sprinklers, they will be less likely to feed on your crops. So when you see that they are feeding on your plants, they should be moved outside of the area.

Expert Tip: Motion-activated sprinklers can be very useful because they also scare geese away when flying in or around your house or yard.


7. Scare them off with a strobe light

The strobe light flashes very fast. When geese are exposed to a strobe light, they get disoriented and confused. Because they are dark-feathered birds, they will tend to avoid the flashing lights. Because geese have poor vision, they can easily be scared by these lights.

So if you want to get rid of them, you can use a strobe light in an area where there are geese or where there is a potential for them to land. It should be used in conjunction with other techniques to be more effective. Noise and noisemakers work well in combination with a strobe light.

This is because the movement of the strobe light increases alarm reactions in geese. As a result, they will leave your property after being alarmed by the flashes of light from the strobe light when combined with other methods.


8. Apply liquid geese repellent

Apply liquid geese repellent.
Apply liquid geese repellent.

Geese have a sensitive nose and a good sense of smell. Because of that, they will be more aware of a scent when you apply liquid geese repellent. You can use this to control them in two ways. First, you wash your clothes and lawn with the liquid geese repellent to get rid of their smell, which will make them avoid your property and stay away from it.

Second, you can spray the liquid-repellent on plants and trees. You should use a really strong spray because it will repel not only the geese from your property but also other animals.


9. Restrict access to water by the Geese

Geese are known to drink more water. The easiest way to get rid of geese and protect your crops is by keeping them away from your water source. The easiest way to do this is by placing barriers around ponds and lakes. You can also use mesh or netting to close the area where they usually access the water.

Expert Tip: Geese will keep their distance from an area where there is no water. By reducing the amount of water they have access to, they will have fewer places to stop and rest.


10. Add a predator decoy

To surround your crops and plants with a predator decoy. You can use a hawk, owl, or a snake to scare the geese away. A predator decoy can work well because geese react fearfully to predators.

An additional benefit of using these decoys is that they will repel other birds and geese, which means that your fruit trees and plants will also be protected from them. It is important to note that decoys are used to scare birds away; they will not kill them.


11. Use reflective tape as a repellent

Geese have poor eyesight and can be easily frightened by bright reflections.
Geese have poor eyesight and can be easily frightened by bright reflections.

Geese have poor eyesight and can be easily frightened by bright reflections. They tend to avoid shiny or reflective surfaces because they confuse them with predators. For example, geese cannot distinguish between real predators and an artificial reflection or movement.

You can use this quality to your advantage by placing reflective tape near your crops, plants, and other areas of interest. You can add reflective tape to your window frames and pergola or place light-reflecting stickers above lights and windows in your yard.


12. Apply Flight Control Plus

Flight Control Plus is a goose repellent developed to deter birds, especially geese and other waterfowl. It was specifically designed by biologists to repel birds from airports and other areas where there can be a lot of bird strikes. It contains unpleasant smells that are known to frighten geese and waterfowl.

Flight Control Plus contains ingredients that give off an unpleasant smell when they come in contact with water. The combination of the unpleasant smells and the physical barriers caused by the product confuse the birds and make them avoid it.


13. Use Sounds Of A Predator Scare Geese

There are several ways to scare a bird away. One of the best ways to scare them off is by using sounds. A good way to repel geese is by making sounds of predators such as owls, hawks, coyotes, and other animals.

This can be done by finding recordings of potential predators that may scare birds, such as a cat growl or the sounds of snakes and other animals that may frighten geese. The geese will think that these sounds are predators and be frightened away.


14. Use a DIY goose repellent

A DIY (do it yourself) repellent is a simple way to put off geese. It’s not difficult to make and has been known to work for some people. The idea is really simple. You use any type of oil such as white, liquid dish detergent, automobile oil, or even baby oil (with the scent removed).

You mix the oil with a small amount of water (enough so that it will float to disperse the oils more evenly). You then place the oil mixture inside of a jar and then pour in water. You need to fill the container with enough water to cover the top (about one inch).

Then close it up, and shake the jar until all of the oil is mixed with water. Then you can place the bottle/jar around your valuable plants. It’s simple, and it works! The oils will eventually mix with the water and then evaporate. This leaves behind a scent that geese don’t like.

Expert Tip: Use foamy liquids to repel birds from ponds or pools. Once you find out where the geese are landing you can use foamy liquids to get rid of them. You can use this foamy liquid in combination with a scarecrow located on land near water.


15. Create geese deterring landscape

Make sure that you surround your valuable plants with a strong enough fence to resist geese. Plant species that geese don’t like around the perimeter of your yard. You can also plant some marigolds around your valuable plants. This will create a good barrier against the geese and cause them to stay away.


What will keep geese away?

What will keep geese away?
What will keep geese away?

The answer to this question is quite simple, there are various things that you can do to keep geese away from your yard and save your valuable plants and trees, you should not wait too long to repel the geese because they will cause major damage to your plants. It’s good to be ready ahead of time.

Let us look at some great ways to keep geese away.


1. Make your yard less appealing to geese

If you want to make your yard less attractive and more undesirable to geese, you can make some simple changes. To start with, you will need to clear the area, remove all water sources, and then add a perimeter fence. This will make the yard appear empty.

Once you have set up these boundaries, it’s time to place deterrents around the exterior of your house and in your garden. Remember, a good fence makes a good neighbor.


2. Add a Scarecrow

Add a Scarecrow
Add a Scarecrow

One of the best ways to discourage geese from your property is by adding a scarecrow. A scarecrow is an easy and effective way to keep geese away from your yard. There are several types of scarecrows that you can buy, but their main purpose is to create a deterrent for birds.

If you want to ensure that the geese stay away from your yard, you should consider using these scarecrows.


3. Use decoys

If geese are a problem around your yard, it is best to use decoys as an alternative to scarecrows. You can place these decoys near trees and plants, in your pond, and on your house’s perimeter fence. This will create a good barrier against the birds, and they won’t come any closer to your property.

Common decoys effective for keeping geese away from trees include:

  • Coyote Decoy: Coyotes are very effective at scaring geese away. The best thing about them is that they are not just decoys but also look attractive. To use them, you will need to put a set of legs, a tail, and some fur around its body.
  • Turkey Decoy: This is a special type of decoy used to catch geese. Interestingly, this bird does not mind being caught by predators.
  • Dog Decoy: This decoy is not as effective as the coyote and turkey decoy, but it does the trick. It’s a good alternative for those who don’t want to use predator decoys but want the geese to stay away.
  • Swan Decoy: This is an effective yet simple decoy used to catch geese. It will keep the geese away and deter them. It works just as well as predator decoys but can be used daily without being an eyesore to your property.


4. Fence your property

One of the best ways to keep geese off your yard is by placing a fence around your trees, garden, or ponds. You should place a few strands of wire near the ground and around the trunk of each valuable tree. This will keep the geese away from your valuable plants and allow them to grow healthily.

Expert Tip: An electric fence can be more effective than a regular fence since it is shock-based. You can use an electric fence with solar power to avoid the cost of electricity.


5. Lining water sources with plants

Geese don’t like to walk through plants, so you can employ this strategy to keep them away from your yard. All you have to do is put some plants inside a container and then place them around your water sources. The geese will not cross the plants, staying away from your valuable plants.


6. Repellent technology

There are many different products that you can use to deter geese on your property. The most effective ones are designed to repel the birds from your garden and yard. These are some of the best:

  • Liquid and granule repellents: These products are most effective at deterring geese from your yard. You need to spread a thin layer of the repellent on your yard or in your garden. This will keep the geese away for about 3-4 weeks, which means you will have to reapply every week.
  • Fogger: A fogger is a great device that will keep many birds away. It releases a thick fog filled with droplets which will linger in the air for about 30 minutes. This is an ideal device for repelling large flocks of geese.


What are Geese Afraid Of?

Geese are beautiful creatures. You would want them aplenty if you own them, but if you don’t, and they encroach on your property, they could be a menace. They could lead to your property being damaged by their presence and other problems.

You would want to know that geese hate loud noises. They also don’t want glaring lights in the places where they sleep. Since geese want access to bodies of water, they would want unobstructed entrance into them.

So, in order to turn off geese from being encouraged to visit your property, when you see them, turn on your loud music, or sound the horn from your car. You know the places they want to nest. Allow the unobstructed heat of the sun to be exposed to that area.

Don’t also make your lake or pool too open for visitors, geese included. Put a lot of inflatables which kids love, into the bodies of water on your property, and you won’t see the geese wander into your area.


What smell do geese hate?

The list below is a collection of the scents that geese don’t like. Try to place these natural scents around your yard to keep the birds away.

  • Bitter citrus
  • the smell of pine cones
  • citrus oils
  • lavender oils
  • mint leaves
  • herbs such as marjoram, rosemary, and mints leaves
  • Bananas, carrots, onions, and other vegetables matter high in sulfur content
  • Fabric softener


In summary, it’s best to keep geese away from your yard by placing repellents around the perimeter of your property. You can use sprays, decoys, and scents to deter geese from your plants. It’s best to go with a natural approach that does not harm the birds or endanger them.

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About Grace Hocker

Hi, my name is Grace and I am a pet lover. Ever since 5 years old, I've owned some sort of pet from Bearded Dragons to Rabbits. I have dedicated my life to helping pets, and am here to help you get the best for your pet!