Bird Info
Canada geese incubation period 26-28 days
Mallard duck incubation period 26-30 days
Mute swan incubation period 36-38 days
Canada geese clutch size 1 egg every 1-1.5 days, 5-8 eggs
mallard duck clutch size 1/day 9 eggs
mute swan clutch size 1 egg every 2 days, average 5
incubation period def the time between laying the last egg and the hatching of that egg
when are geese sexually mature 2-3 years
do/when do geese remate if their partner dies
how many clutches do geese have 1
when can young geese fly in days 75
how close nesting to other geese in urban areas 10 feet
2 diseases associated with, found in, or transferred by Canada geese salmonella and chlamydiosis
damage prevention-harassment (6) dogs, pyrotechnics, propane cannons, swans, lasers, plastic scare devices/effigies
trumpeter swans (3) protected, native, red border on lower black mandible
mute swans (5) nonnative, attract Canada geese, more destructive, not recommended, orange bill and black knob
damage prevention (5) harassment, exclusion (20 ft, 3 ft above), repellents, habitat alteration, lethal management (HHERL)
geese must be disease free to be... (TRIP) transported, relocated, imported, propagated
when transporting, geese must be.. checked on every 4 hours, have a sturdy transport container, and have enough room to turn around
methods of destroying eggs addling, oiling, puncturing, and removal and disposal (DRAPO)
float test 1-2 weeks sink oiling
3 weeks sink removal
4 weeks float leave and report
req depth to bury goose eggs 6 in under compact soil
service reports complaints, number of complaints serviced, county, name, phone, address, species and nest number, eggs or birds destroyed, does not include cost, made before Sep 1
permit or NWCP is... nuisance wildlife control permit is the granting of permission by the DNR under the Wildlife Code to an individual or entity to take, possess, transport, or dispose of protected species within IL (TPTD)
permits that comply with US fish and wildlife service USFWS D and E
permit on you at all times yes
depredation permit is required to... take, possess, or transport
barred from permit for years A and D, 5
permit timing ABC exp Jan 31, DE Sep 1
dead animals shall not be buried less than ___ feet from a stream, private potable water supply, or any other potable water supply source 200
dead animals should not be buried within the applicable ___ or ___ foot minimum setback zone of an existing community water supply well 200, 400
ratio of ___ pound of dead animals per one sq ft shall be buried on an annual basis 1
no more than ___ pounds of dead animals shall be buried in each site location. max burial frequency is years. no more than 3 site locations within a radius of feet 3000, 2, 120
color and inches of hunting cap and outer garment blaze orange, 400 sq inches
sections for taking of deer, bats, game birds, migratory birds deer: 525.45 bats 525.55 525.75 game birds 525.60 migratory birds 525.65 525.75
Canada goose length and wingspan 29.9-43.3in and 50-71in
Canada goose weight m/f m: 7-14 f: 5.5-12
nests distance from water 150ft
goose nest size 1.5 ft in diameter
egg tooth! how many hours to break out of their shell 8-36
walk, swim, dive, and feed within __ days 1-2
weeks old to fly and be self-supporting 7-10 weeks
gang broods up to 100 goslings
average goose lifespan, range, captive 12 years, 10-25, 40
average mortality rate %, % first year resident, % first year migratory 20-52%, 70-90%, 25-80% avg 59%
common goose diseases (7) avian cholera, avian botulism, avian salmonellosis, chlamydiosis, duck plague, aspergillosis, gizzard worms
Things to know:
-Know sizes and descriptions of woodpeckers
-Emphasis on IPM, multiple tactics always better than one
-Mallard nesting and nest management information (was not able to find in bird guides)
-Questions on Endangered/Threatened list, for example they will try to trick you by putting an option down as Great Blue Heron instead of Little Blue Heron
-Mylar tape uses/effectiveness (not in lit)
-Federal/State approval to take certain actions at specific sites (do not have any literature that clearly spells out Federal vs State permitting and Federal/State approval needed for specific sites)
-Know TRIM, however that is not the main way they will refer to geese on the exam. They wanted you to know subspecies based on where they bred/wintered. For example “Besides the subspecies that breeds in Illinois, what other subspecies also commonly winters in Illinois?” (more clear lit on subspecies is likely needed)
-Lethal vs non-lethal permits
Questions we struggled with:
How long to addle an egg till non productive? (60 seconds, in lit)
What do mute swans mainly eat? (In lit)
Can you burn in an open pit? (No, in lit)
At what age do mallards begin to nest? (Not in lit, I believe the answer is 1 year)
T/F: mallards do not tend to renest if their eggs/nest is destroyed, so there is no need to float test them (not in lit)
Time window for when an egg is considered non-productive?
What is the most expensive but effective management strategy in the long run? (we chose the option habitat alteration and exclusion)
Can you recognize the two different geese subspecies easily in Illinois from a distance? (not in lit, answered no)
Is hunting a cost effective solution along with pyrotechnics? (in lit)
Is mylar tape an effective way to keep goose out of an area, and is it sturdy enough to require minimum maintenance? (not in lit)
Hanging mylar tape and aluminum pans more effective at scaring woodpeckers than plastic owls? (no lit on woodpecker management)
Besides the subspecies that breeds in Illinois, what other subspecies also commonly winters in Illinois? (not in lit)
T/F: Geese that don’t breed successfully migrate early before molting in what’s called a “molt migration”? Know if/when this happens (not in lit)