Hundreds of geese spotted in
grasslands around roads in east Netherlands, with some birds swooping into
paths of vehicles
Daniel
Boffey in Brussels
Wed 18 Apr
2018 15.09 BSTLast modified on Wed 18 Apr 2018 17.57 BST
The emergence of the Netherlands as
the most popular place in Europe for geese has prompted an urgent call for
Dutch drivers to watch out for hundreds of birds breeding on the grassy
junctions and motorways verges.
More than 500,000 geese are in
the country in the warmer months, and 2.5 million overwinter there, amounting
to a 95% increase on the numbers counted in the 1960s.
The Netherlands’ intensive
farming and temperate climate make it the best country for geese in Europe,
according to the Sovon Dutch centre for field ornithology, the organisation
responsible for surveying bird populations.
The population boom, however, is
not without problems. Roadside grasslands are particularly attractive to
breeding birds because of their the abundance of clover leaves and protection
from predators.
Hundreds of geese have been
spotted off roads in Gelderland in the east of the country and elsewhere.
Others have been swooping down into the paths of cars and lorries, presumably
seeking to protect their offspring. A stretch of road in the town of Opheusden,
in Gelderland, reported four collisions in a week.
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