INDIAN TRAIL, N.C. — The North Carolina Wildlife Commission confirmed it is looking into witness reports that a group of people took wild baby geese from their parents at an Indian Trail shopping center.
An incident summary from the agency states someone reported three people--two female and one male--pulled into the CVS parking lot in a black Dodge Ram in the Sun Valley area Sunday morning and might have taken two goslings.
Video of the alleged incident surfaced on social media, as Charlotte-area nonprofit, Carolina Waterfowl Rescue posted photos and footage it received from witnesses, in hopes of generating tips.
One video shows a trio carrying something small in their arms as two adult geese stand nearby, looking on. One goose spreads its wings at the people, flapping, as if in distress. Another video from a different angle appears to show a female from the group standing amid a group of geese as a black pickup truck pulls up and she tosses something in the backseat. The person recording the events through a window then steps outside and another witness is heard yelling off-camera, "You can't just take those babies away from their mom."
The NCWC report states wildlife officers were looking at surveillance videos from local businesses in an attempt to verify what happened and who was involved. As of Tuesday night, the incident was still under investigation with no charges reported.
"I feel like I've seen everything over the years," Jennifer Gordon, Carolina Waterfowl's founder, told WCNC Charlotte Monday. "And then someone will shock me with something else."
Gordon said there are various reasons people might illegally take wild birds, noting in some cases, they want them as pets and do not want to pay for a domestic bird.
However, in many cases, Gordon said, the birds are stolen to make money.
"I've seen people running illegal nuisance animal control operations where they get paid some money to go reduce the geese population, and the people that hire them don't realize that they're not reputable and they're not licensed," Gordon said. "And then they round up the geese, and then we don't really know what happens to them after that."
"We also have seen people steal the geese, and then they show up at the flea market, or we have animal auctions, and there's ... what they call an animal swap," Gordon continued. "They'll put the geese out, and they'll tell people that they're domestic breeds of geese, and they sell them for a lot of money."
The allegations have some asking what the rules are regarding wild bird interactions, and the WCNC Charlotte VERIFY team looked into it.
The Sources
- Falyn Owens, Extension Wildlife Biologist, N.C. Wildlife Commission
- Jennifer Gordon, Founder, Carolina Waterfowl Rescue
- The Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918
The Question
Would taking wild geese be illegal?
The Answer
In most cases, yes.
Without weighing in on the legalities of the specific allegations from Indian Trail, Owens said, in general, any wild birds, should be treated with care and largely enjoyed from afar.
"Regardless if they're geese, or ducks or songbirds, it's important to know that they are protected by federal law under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which really gives them a lot of protections, regardless of how common they are," Owens said. "The best thing that you can do is enjoy them from a distance and don't worry about trying to take care of them or feed them or anything like that. Just leave them alone and let them be wild and appreciate that they're there."
According to a U.S. Fish and Wildlife summary of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, people cannot "take (including killing, capturing, selling, trading, and transport) of protected migratory bird species without prior authorization by the Department of Interior U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service."
Owens recommends that people contact the Wildlife Resources Commission with any questions about how to best (and legally) interact with wildlife.
Gordon is asking if anyone took wild geese from that parking lot to bring them to the rescue, no questions asked, and the group would reunite the babies with the parents.
The Question
Would the birds reject their young just because they were handled by humans?
The Answer
Both Owens and Gordon said the geese would likely take back their young, and handling by humans would not be a main factor in that.
"I think as long as they're in good condition, chances are not bad that the adults would sort of adopt them," Owens said.
"That's actually an old wives tale that you can't touch birds," Gordon said.
"Because you can. Most birds don't have a well-developed sense of smell," Gordon continued, alluding to a widely held belief that bird parents might reject their baby because it smells like a human.
"They're very family-oriented," Gordon explained. "They babysit other geese's kids, and if I'm a goose, and my brother dies, I take his kids on, they basically really have such a strong family bond."
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information comes in.
Contact Vanessa Ruffes at vruffes@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.
VERIFY is dedicated to helping the public distinguish between true and false information. The VERIFY team, with help from questions submitted by the audience, tracks the spread of stories or claims that need clarification or correction. Have something you want VERIFIED? Text us at 704-329-3600 or visit VERIFY.
WCNC Charlotte's Verify series is all about trying to make a difference in the Carolinas by making sure the community has the correct information. WCNC Charlotte outlines concisely what we know and what we don't know. Sometimes the answer can be surprising. Watch previous stories where we verify social media claims in the YouTube playlist below and subscribe to get updated when new videos are uploaded.