Canada Geese in Toronto's High Park

From the brink of extinction to North America’s most common waterfowl — discover the fascinating story of Canada Geese in Toronto’s High Park.

Famous for their loud honking calls and graceful V-shaped flight formations, the Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) is the most common waterfowl species in North America. Native to both Arctic and temperate regions, these birds are a familiar sight year-round in Toronto’s High Park.

Every Season has its Goose

Just about everyone knows what Canada Geese look like. They are easy to spot in High Park at any time of year especially along the shores of Grenadier Pond, and each season offers something different to observe.

Late Winter (February–March)
As temperatures begin to rise, mated pairs return to scout nesting sites — often the exact same locations they used in previous years or even where they were born, if still suitable. While they typically nest near water, geese have been known to nest in trees or even on rooftops.

Spring (April–June)
Canada geese mate for life, usually forming bonds at around three years of age lasting about 20-25 years. Females lay 2-8 eggs by mid-April, with goslings hatching in May. Throughout May and June visitors can see goose families swimming together or learning to graze with their little parade of young goslings closely protected by both parents.

Early Summer (June–July)
A few weeks after hatching, adult geese enter a 4–6 week molting period, losing and regrowing their flight feathers. During this time, they are flightless and are vulnerable to predators since they cannot easily flee from danger. This is when you can see families of geese bobbing along in flotillas on High Park’s ponds or grazing near the shore with a clear escape route to water. Canada Geese spend about the same amount of time in water as they do on land.

Late Summer (July onwards)
Once their feathers regrow, geese regain the ability to fly. However, as long as lush green grass grows all around High Park providing abundant food, they have little reason to leave. They are especially fond of short grass and prefer low vegetation habitats adjacent to water open water like the shores of Grenadier Pond.

Fall
Resident geese may stay or move to other sites depending on food availability and weather conditions. During this season, migratory flocks from farther north can often be seen flying overhead in their classic V-shaped formations on their long trip south — an unmistakable sign that winter is approaching. Some might even stopover at Grenadier Pond.

Winter
Even in cold weather, geese remain active and can be seen clocking together in High Park’s snow-covered turf, all facing the same direction into the wind.

Food can become scarce intermittently in wintertime, but the geese merely fly from one food source to another within close proximity. During winter, their primary concern is finding food rather than staying warm. While known for migrating, changes in habitat and food availability have led some populations to become non-migratory, as they now have sufficient winter food and fewer former natural predators in High Park.

Their dense down feathers insulate them against temperatures as low as -30°C. There’s a good reason the company renowned for its high quality winter-busting jackets named itself after the Canada Goose!

Beware of Mother Goose

Canada Geese are highly territorial, especially during nesting and when raising young. They can be so protective that it often deters other native waterfowl species from nesting or using the same natural areas of the park. When they sense danger, they protect themselves and their goslings forcefully by confronting the threat with an impressive display of standing up tall and erect, spreading their wings and hissing. They may even charge and bite with their powerful bills.

Tip for visitors: Keep a safe distance and supervise dogs closely to avoid provoking defensive behaviour.

The Great Canada Goose Comeback

By the mid-20th century, Canada geese populations had declined sharply due to hunting and habitat loss. By the 1960s, they were close to extinction and no longer present in many parts of Ontario. Conservation efforts led by government and wildlife agencies including habitat protection and population management programs, helped reverse this decline. By the 1990s, these programs were so successful that repopulation strategies were discontinued.Today, Canada Geese are thriving and are the most common waterfowl species in North America.

Their surge in population was further boosted by changes we made to our environments. Agricultural expansion and new harvesting practices increased food sources and also provided abundant abundant leftover grain and vegetation waste on the fields. Warmer winters due to climate change also provided more open water for the geese. Parks and golf courses featuring ponds and big green lawns also offered ideal grazing areas and a safe habitat. In fact, Canada Geese have become so abundant in some areas that they are now considered a public nuisance and even a threat to human health and the environment.

Challenges of Abundance in High Park

While their recovery is a success story, large goose populations can create challenges. High Park has been feeling the effects of the Canada Goose population boom for a while.

Each goose eats nearly a kilogram of grass daily. They produce droppings about every 20 minutes, averaging about a kilogram per day. Heavy droppings not only make park areas unpleasant for visitors, but may also contain parasites and diseases that pose a risk to both humans and other wildlife if consumed. Nutrient runoff of excess nitrogen from these droppings into Grenadier Pond and other wetlands can also lead to algae blooms, which in turn reduces oxygen levels in the water and threaten the pond’s other aquatic life.

Canada Geese Population Management

In order to maintain ecological balance and protect park ecosystems, several management strategies are used in High Park, including:

Egg Addling
Egg oiling is a form of addling used to manage overabundant waterfowl populations. The method involves coating eggs with mineral oil which prevents embryo development. Because the eggs remain intact, adult geese continue to incubate them, unaware that they are no longer viable. This reduces reproductive success by preventing the eggs from hatching and discourages adults from nesting again during the same breeding season, ultimately lowering the number of new goslings.

Habitat Modification
Geese prefer open, grassy areas and tend to avoid heavily vegetated spaces. Altering landscapes by planting dense vegetation along the shoreline makes them less attractive to geese. This is why you may notice geese not congregating near the naturalized sections north of Grenadier Pond, but high congregations near the wooden lookout point in the south where plenty of short turf grass is available.

Seasonal Relocation
In mid-June, during the molting period when geese are unable to fly, large groups gather near food and water sources. Throughout this flightless period each goose consumes approximately 4 lbs of manicured grass and excretes approximately 2 lbs of fecal matter daily. This can lead to significant grazing damage to the landscape, increased droppings, and declining water quality. During this time, some geese may be safely relocated to areas outside Toronto that can better support them. Broods, or families with young goslings, are typically not relocated.

Coexisting with Canada Geese

Canada Geese are a resilient and valued part of High Park’s natural ecosystem. By learning about their behaviour and supporting humane, responsible management practices, visitors can help foster a balanced relationship with these birds. With greater awareness and respect, we can share the park in a way that protects both wildlife and the experience of all who visit.

Please Don't Feed Waterfowl

Avoid feeding wild waterbirds. Wild animals can thrive on natural habitats and do not need food from people. Feeding may seem harmless, but it conditions animals to expect handouts, bringing them closer to people and increasing the risk of conflict. It also harms their health, as processed human foods do not meet their nutritional needs. Allowing wildlife to rely on natural instincts is the only kindness they need.

Under Toronto’s Animals Bylaw, you are not allowed to feed wildlife or leave food out to attract animals.

Birds of the City

Build your birding skills and discover how our feathered friends survive in urban neighbourhoods in Toronto.

Created by naturalist and former High Park Nature Centre staff, Mallory Parks, this online naturalist course covers the fascinating and diverse world of birds you can find in your own neighbourhoods. Sign up for this course today and discover how our feathered citizens make their way in the big city.

City of Toronto's Biodiversity Booklet

Birds of Toronto offers an overview of the 410 bird species recorded across the GTA, including 369 observed within Toronto. Discover the remarkable diversity of local birdlife: from year-round residents and winter visitors to summer breeders and the many migratory species that pass through Toronto on their journeys north during the spring season or south towards warmer wintering sites. This useful booklet provides everything you need to better understand, enjoy, and help protect the birds that share our city.