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Fowl problem: Geese droppings irk residents in Long Island village

Canadian geese are causing some controversy in a Long Island village.

BRIGHTWATERS, N.Y. — Officials in a New York village are trying to resolve a fowl problem.

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Residents in the Long Island village of Brightwaters are divided about what to do about droppings from Canadian geese, Newsday reported Sunday.

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Mayor John Valdini said village officials have received complaints about excessive amounts of goose droppings on residential streets, but also concerns from residents who want to protect the birds, the newspaper reported.

"There's very separate camps people are in," Valdini told Newsday. "I'm trying to get the best of both sides by getting informed."

Geese can create up to 3 pounds of fecal matter daily, according to the New York Department of Environmental Conservation.

Brightwaters resident Pete Resing told Newsday that his house and boat get covered by droppings and that he was concerned about the possible transmission of disease.

“You can’t step out without stepping on fecal matter,” Resing said. “It is a problem, and something needs to be done.”

Another Brightwaters resident, Jonathan Landon, said the geese were part of the area habitat and need to be protected.

"We cannot really make any sort of decisions based on one aberrant year in which we've had many successful breeding pairs," Landon said.

Canadian geese are legally protected at federal and state levels, according to the DEC.

"This is not a problem specific to the Village of Brightwaters," DEC official Kelly Hamilton told Newsday. "What we generally suggest is tactics for homeowners to use to try to alleviate the problem on their own property."

Valdini said the village will likely decide the issue before next spring's breeding season.