Home Mobile County Mobile Wildlife Prices Contact Info

What Is Goose Egg Addling?

Bird populations can quickly overwhelm public areas like parks and buildings. Large bird populations are not a problem in the wild, but large flocks of Mobile birds in cities can cause quite a bit of destruction and disturbance. In these cases, the bird populations need to be controlled through humane methods. Addling techniques are used as a humane way to deter the development of eggs. In different parts of the globe, we can observe many birds especially geese prowling through public and private lands, and this has become a major nuisance for the past few years. New ways of controlling bird populations have been studied and discovered, and one famous method is goose egg addling.



Wildlife Management Control
The term “goose egg addling” refers to the Alabama wildlife management control method which is used for Canada geese and other kinds of birds in order to control their population growth. Fertilized eggs are removed from the nests for a certain period of time while being tested for embryo development and replaced with what they aptly call “dummy eggs” to help trick the bird to incubate continuously, thus controlling her to lay more eggs in the long run.

Canada Goose Management and Egg Depredation
In Canada, to prevent birds, specifically geese, from hatching or laying more eggs, they practice goose egg addling or what they also commonly call “egg depredation”. Egg addling or egg depredation keeps the geese from having a successful nesting period and is endorsed by The Humane Society of the United States.

Forms of Egg Addling
There are several methods than can be used for egg addling:
• Puncturing the eggs.
• Replacing real eggs with “dummies”.
• Coating eggs with vegetable oil.

Importance of Goose Egg Addling
Goose egg addling assists in controlling the aggression of Mobile bird species that safeguard their nests, thus decreasing the population growth of local geese along with the deterrents they might pose. It can also help prevent a mess from accumulating in public parks and private lands.

Requirements before Implementing Goose Egg Addling
The Environment Canada and The Humane Society of the United States recognize egg addling as a humane procedure for removing eggs from their nests and then covering them with vegetable oil after which they are returned back. Coating the egg with corn oil or any other vegetable oil can help stop further development of the embryo by blocking essential oxygen and other gases. In practicing the method in both Canada and the United States one must first obtain a permit from proper Alabama authorities. Amendments of the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act of Canada safeguard all local bird species, which includes the Canada geese. Removal of eggs from their nest of protected birds cannot be executed without properly obtaining proper permission, and you must secure a Canada Geese Control Federal Permit.

How Geese Egg Addling can be Successful
In performing a successful geese egg addling, it is vital to first study the bird’s biology and behavior for assisting in the proper timing and procedures of addling. It also aids in ensuring that these local Mobile birds are left unharmed as well as other species around.



Go back to the Wildlife Removal Mobile AL home page.