Canada geese have become a common sight around the county near anyplace that has a lake, river or pond. Nearly extinct in the 1960s, they are now thriving with populations in the millions.
They have become comfortable living in cities like Chicago that have water for swimming and trimmed grass for grazing. There are few predators and the birds have quickly learned that residential areas are hunting-free zones. The food supply is plentiful and they eat grass, garbage and sometimes feed they are given from people.
The birds breed across North America, including Canada and Alaska during the warmer months, then migrate and spend the winter months mainly in the southern United States and Mexico. They are strong fliers and can cover 2,400 km (1,500 miles) in 24 hours when riding wind currents.
Many flocks seem to have learned that if they find a safe place it is better to stay there, even if it means braving the cold, rather than fly through hunting zones.
Chicago has large resident flocks that reside in the city all year
They can pose a liability to airplanes. They are territorial and can be aggressive to humans, and they leave large amounts of excrement everywhere.
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