How an HOA Board Can Fly Through a Fowl Situation in Your Association

Does your homeowners association have wildlife that has taken up residency in your community, specifically birds? Birds are beautiful, graceful and melodic. They give a sense of being close to nature and add to the feel of a community.

But too much of any one thing is never good. Whether it’s a trail of droppings, territorial aggression or destructive nesting and feeding patterns, birds can make life more expensive and a little more difficult or unpleasant for members living in your Association, maintenance crews, and managers.

Here are some solutions to help HOA board members be proactive.

Why Your Homeowners Association Looks Accommodating

With plenty of open space, feeding areas and comfortable nesting sites free from natural predators, your community may create a haven for an avian population. Geese and ducks—attracted to the lakes and ponds and relative safety of the surroundings—tend to be the worst culprits.

According to GeesePeace, a nationally-recognized non-profit dedicated to growing geese education and outreach programs, geese come to an area for two reasons:

1. The safety provided by a lake/pond.

2. The abundance of planted grass kept short for them by frequent mowing.

Geese are encouraged to stay in a community or visit—often congregating in the common areas—when they are fed popcorn or bread. In addition, feeding geese human food is unhealthy and causes them to be aggressive.

Implement a New Policy

Good news! There is an environmentally safe and effective way of living with the winged visitors, and decreasing a nuisance in your homeowners association. One of the most important steps is for the HOA board to implement a no-feeding policy.

During the winters, geese have plenty of resources to find food. They do not need large amounts of corn or other feed when the ground is covered with snow. They will fly to warmer areas to find more suitable feeding grounds.

As an HOA board, you may not want to remove all of the birds in your community - you may simply want to make the numbers more manageable. Therefore, a no-feeding policy is an important first step in the right direction. Proper signage reminding your homeowners association members of this new policy will help support proper interaction with the birds.

Hopefully this first step will help your homeowners association be able to fly through a fowl situation!