Geese are a constant companion on campus, keeping an eye on Sikes Lake as you get some exercise on a jog or walk around the lake. Or a few may gather to watch students rush across the Quad on the way to class.
Geese can live almost anywhere and are tolerant of fields and parks as well as more natural habitats.
The campus geese eat a lot of grass and seeds. But a favorite food of geese is blueberries.
Margaret Brown Marsden, Dean of the McCoy College of Science, Mathematics & Engineering, said the goose population estimate is 20-75 depending on the season.
The goose was likely the first bird domesticated by humans about 3,000 years ago. In some places, geese serve as “living lawnmowers” to help keep the grass and weeds under control. And geese can be good “watchdogs” helping to protect spaces and notify humans of intruders.