CLEVELAND, Ohio — You might think they're friendly, but Canada Geese can be vicious, especially during nesting season when they are trying to protect their eggs.
Numerous incidents are being reported of the birds attacking people all over the country, including Ohio.
Pictures of a goose is attacking a golfer in Detroit went viral. Closer to home, a school in Columbus had to cancel its track practice because of aggressive geese.
We wanted to verify if and when the geese are considered protected species, and what residents can do if they face them.
The Chief Wildlife Officer at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History first talked about how he was also attacked.
"He started flapping his wings, and he would bring his wrist towards you like this, think about all of the muscles of the chest of that bird, snapping that wing at you, and it was like a very powerful pop!” said Harvey Webster, Cleveland Museum of Natural History Chief Wildlife Officer.
However, Webster said he knew what to do.
"Never turn away from the bird, face the bird. Then, back up and get yourself out of its territory,” he said.
According to Webster, geese can fly faster than you can run. As to whether these geese are protected, Webster says the answer is mostly yes.
If you have a hunting license, you can hunt the geese, but only during hunting season.
In the offseason, we verified that the birds are protected in the Ohio, including their eggs, so residents cannot remove or harm them.
If you have aggressive geese on your property, contact the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and let professionals remove them.