Homemade Nest Sites for Giant Canada Geese

	Terry A. Messmer ND Cooperative Extension Service
	Michael A. Johnson ND Game and Fish Department
	Forrest B. Lee Great Plains Wildlife Services
NDSU EXTENSION SERVICE North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58105

Introduction

Since their near extinction in the 1920s, the restoration of the giant Canada goose (Branta canadensis maxima) in North America is a success story that has few equals in the history of wildlife management. For the most part, this happened in the last 40 years with modest beginnings in the 1930s and 1940s and considerable momentum developing in the 1960s and 1970s.

The return of the giant Canadas to North Dakota is an integral part of this success story. The restoration began in 1969, when a flock of giant Canada geese was established at Slade National Wildlife Refuge. Large-scale releases of hand-reared Canada geese began in 1972. Since then, remarkable increases have been noted in North Dakota, and these magnificent birds now nest over much of the state. Present restoration efforts involve the transplanting of wild-reared giant Canada geese. These efforts have been state-federal cooperative ventures with substantial support from private groups and individuals.

The giant Canada goose has become so well established in North Dakota that breeding pairs may find and use homemade nesting structures placed in suitable habitats most anywhere in the state. It is possible for landowners and sportsmen to entice this magnificent bird to nest in their localities by providing safe nesting places for them. Nesting structures are beneficial for the geese because they provide a nest site that is safe from predators that would destroy the nest. Giant Canada geese seem to recognize secure nesting situations and readily use nesting structures provided for them.

This resource is based on the following source:

Messmer, Terry A., Michael A. Johnson, and Forrest B. Lee.  1986.  Homemade nest
     sites for giant canada geese.  NDSU Extension Service, Fargo, ND. 15pp.

This resource should be cited as:

Messmer, Terry A., Michael A. Johnson, and Forrest B. Lee.  1986.  Homemade nest
     sites for giant canada geese.  NDSU Extension Service, Fargo, ND.
     Jamestown, ND: Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Online. 
     http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/goosnest/index.htm
     (Version 16APR98).

Life History
Homemade Nest Structures
- The North Dakota Structure
  - Materials Needed
  - Construction
- The Gjersing Structure
  - Materials Needed
  - Construction
- Floating Nesting Platform
  - Materials Needed
  - Construction
- Nest Material
  - North Dakota and Floating Platform Structures
  - Gjersing Structure
- Placement
- Maintenance
- Large Round Bales for Goose Nesting
  - Materials Needed
  - Construction
  - Placement
  - Maintenance
Conclusions
References

Figures

Figure 1 -- North Dakota Nesting Structure
Figure 2 -- Construction of ND Structure
Figure 3 -- Gjersing Nesting Structure
Figure 4 -- Construction of Gjersing Structure Platform
Figure 5 -- Field Placement of Gjersing Structure
Figure 6 -- Floating Nesting Structure
Figure 7 -- Construction of Floating Structure
Figure 8 -- Floating Platform in the Field
Figure 9 -- Placement of Nesting Material
Figure 10 -- Nest With Flax Straw
Figure 11 -- Placement of Nesting Structures
Figure 12 -- Maintenance of Nesting Structures
Figure 13 -- Round Bale Nesting Structure
Figure 14 -- Round Bale Preperation
Figure 15 -- Placement of Round Bales
Figure 16 -- Round Bales Used by Geese and Mallards

Dedication

This circular is dedicated to the memory of
Frank J. Gjersing

Frank, a former wildlife biologist with the state of Montana and the designer of
the Gjersing structure, died in a June 11, 1983 plane crash while censusing waterfowl.

"He was a monument to what he believed in."

Downloading Instructions -- Instructions on downloading and extracting files from this site.

goosnest.zip (417K) -- Homemade Nest Sites for Giant Canada Geese

Installation: Extract all files and open index.htm in a web browser.

Homemade Nest Sites for Giant Canada Geese

Introduction

Table of Contents

Figures