MUNCIE, Ind. — It’s no secret that Ball State geese are egg-stremely prominent, but the question is why? Is it the North Pond or the diploma they’re after?
Luckily, we have Ball State professors who seem to know all about Canadian geese.
“They like areas with very short grass that they can feed on, as well as having some water nearby in areas where there’s not a lot of predators. These urban landscapes just make for absolutely perfect goose habitats,” said Tim Carter, a professor of biology.
And that’s no lie– the geese on campus are taking full advantage of their resources. As we fly into spring, goose mating season is already underway– and it’s ruffling some feathers of Ball State students.
Student Ella Maxwell explained, “They’re really mean. Sometimes, I’ll just walk past them and not even agitate them, and then they start honking at you.”
Beak-cause geese get so defensive during mating season, knowing what to do if one becomes aggressive is essential. It’s not something you want to wing.
Face the goose and maintain eye contact—don’t quack under pressure. Slowly sidestep and back away. The goose should back off and return to its nest.
Once you settle your differences, you can actually become friends. Every year, dozens of Ball State geese are born nameless—flocking around campus for their identities. You can name your campus goose on the Ball State One Day website for $19.18.
While we may never settle our differences, we know they’re here to stay. Friends or foes, life goose on.
Contact Sophie Schick with comments at sophie.schick@bsu.edu
