A group of 53 juvenile geese were rounded up along the banks of the Deschutes River last week and relocated 100 miles south, in what has become a Bend Park & Recreation District annual tradition to control the goose population in local parks.

“We only do the roundups when they’re molting and can’t fly,” said Sasha Sulia, the district’s natural resources manager. “Once they molt, a few might migrate, but most won’t ever leave.”

Sulia said the Canada geese were herded off the river by district employees and federal Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services personnel, who drove the geese onto a bank in Drake Park. The youngsters were then caged and hauled away to Summer Lake State Wildlife Area, where the district has been taking excess fowl for the past four years. In addition to the 53 goslings, 18 adult geese were also rounded up Thursday. These geese, which had already been tagged by park officials with bands, were released back into local parks.

Last year, 41 birds were relocated to the wildlife area. In 2012, 65 geese were moved, some of which were adults.

Sulia said attempts to relocate adult geese in the past have failed, as the birds usually return to Bend soon after being moved. On the other hand, the goslings typically settle into their new surroundings once removed and do not make the journey back to Bend.

“In the past we’ve tried to relocate the adults, but Bend’s their home, and they fly back — there’s no point in relocating them,” said Sulia. “But the juveniles have only been here a month. It hasn’t been impressed on them that this is their home yet.”

Bend Park & Recreation’s dealings with local fowl initially drew attention in 2010 when the district rounded up and gassed 109 adult geese to decrease the population and limit the amount of goose feces that littered some local parks. Since the controversial killings, the district turned to nonlethal methods, which have included hazing, oiling eggs and relocation .

These methods have been effective in maintaining the number of geese in Bend parks, Sulia said. In 2005, surveys showed that, on average, more than 500 geese lived in Bend parks. Almost 10 years later, that number has dropped to about 100. Sulia said the number of geese fluctuates month to month depending on river levels and other factors, and can be anywhere from 350 one week to just under 30 another.

Sulia said Thursday’s roundup is the only one that will take place this year.

“Everyone enjoys looking at the geese and wants them there,” said Sulia. “But they just don’t want to deal with the feces aspect.”

—Reporter: 541-383-0354, mkehoe@bendbulletin.com

Editor’s note: This article has been corrected. An earlier version of the story misidentified the year that 65 geese were moved. The Bulletin regrets the error.