Reduced count of juvenile Canada geese and overall decrease in their population numbers

In the heart of Düsseldorf, a significant change has been unfolding in the city's parks. The population of Canada geese, once a common sight, has seen a noticeable shift, thanks to a dedicated goose management project.

From 2009 to 2017, the number of Canada geese in the city area tripled, rising from 329 to 966. However, since the introduction of goose management, the growth trend of the Canada goose population has been curbed. The number has doubled since 2009, but after the second breeding season, there has been a slight decrease.

The project, which includes preparing nesting sites for mute swans as natural competitors to geese, has been instrumental in this change. Mute swans, it seems, are not fond of geese encroaching upon their nesting sites, and this arrangement has effectively prevented geese from breeding in certain areas.

Another key component of the project is the awareness campaign, "Please do not feed - I find my own food." This campaign, launched this year, aims to educate the public about the negative impact of feeding wild animals, including Canada geese. City signs have been placed in relevant locations to sensitize the public, and a new flyer has been distributed to promote the message.

Feeding wild animals, including Canada geese, is already prohibited in Düsseldorf according to traffic regulations. This prohibition is enforced by city employees, and a special cleaning machine has been acquired for peak times when geese are present in the parklands. This machine is primarily used for cleaning heavily frequented areas such as paths and the water play area in the Zoopark.

A biologist has been collecting eggs as part of the goose management project. Over 800 eggs were collected in the current year, 200 more than last year. After egg collection, the proportion of young birds was 13 percent, a decrease from previous years where it was consistently around 20 percent, and even over 30 percent in 2013.

The total number of young Canada geese in several parks has almost halved compared to 2017, with 90 young geese currently counted. After the second breeding season since the introduction of goose management, a decrease in young birds and a slight decrease in the total number of Canada geese is recorded in the parks.

Despite these successes, the high lifespan of the geese means that these efforts must be continued to keep the number of Canada geese in check in the coming years. Maintenance intervals have been increased due to the high droppings load, even with a decreasing number of geese.

An interesting observation is the avoidance behaviour displayed by Canada geese. They have nested in very small parks where they were not present before 2018, suggesting that the egg management may be influencing their choices.

The organization responsible for goose management in the parks of Düsseldorf is not explicitly named in the provided search results. However, it is clear that the combined efforts of the city and its residents are making a difference in managing the Canada goose population in the city's parks.

Reduced count of juvenile Canada geese and overall decrease in their population numbers