The humble Canada goose is many things: It’s one of the birds a person in North America is most likely to encounter while walking or hiking. It’s also a triumph of wildlife conservation and a species that can be an entry point for rethinking your relationship to the natural world, if you let it. It also happens to be a frequent star of the “animal attack” video genre, a blaring local suburban nuisance bird, and fairly intimidating when aggravated. Knowing a bit more about geese and their lives will make it much easier to be a good neighbor. Here’s how to avoid getting harassed by a goose—and exactly what to do if one tries to come at you full force.
Why are there so many geese? Thank suburban sprawl.

There didn’t used to be so many giant Canada geese in the US. In fact, these geese were thought to be extinct in the mid 1900s, says Scott Beckerman, a wildlife biologist and Illinois State Director of the United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services program. That there are now so many is a “truly a wildlife management success story,” Beckerman tells SELF.

Giant Canada geese evolved near sandbars and love manicured grass near bodies of water. So geese are more than happy to make a home in common sites such as golf courses, playing fields, and the retention ponds often required of suburban developments. Once a goose-friendly habitat has been created, it’s difficult to remediate.

Urban and suburban environments provide year-round food and shelter with few predators, so these geese, which were historically migratory birds, now travel much less. Birds that only leave a site for a few weeks a year are called “resident birds,” and they scare less easily than migratory birds, according to the Ohio Division of Wildlife. For example, in Chicago, Beckerman says, geese will stay put until late January, when freezing weather finally forces them south to open water and food. But after just a couple weeks, they’re usually back.

In other words, geese are exceedingly canny birds, and they’ve made their homes in and around human development. And when geese lay eggs in close proximity to people—say, near a picnic area at a ball field—conflicts can happen more regularly.

How do I avoid a conflict with a goose that seems angry?
First, for everyone’s sake, don’t feed the geese. This is Beckerman’s top piece of advice and it’s echoed by the ODW. Being fed by humans reduces the animals’ fear of people and makes them more likely to hang around well-traveled spaces, Beckerman says. It’s also just bad for them: The food humans typically give to geese, like popcorn or bread, don’t constitute a balanced diet and can contribute to wing deformities. Feeding geese also attracts more geese, contributing to overcrowding and possible disease spread.
Fortunately, according to Beckerman, “conflicts with [giant] Canada geese are not all that common. And they are seasonal in nature.” Incidents of aggressive geese behavior toward humans occur overwhelmingly during nesting season in the spring, Beckerman says. This is when ganders (male geese) can become aggressive; they may feel threatened and try to keep people away from their nests. (Female geese may also become aggressive but males will do so first.) The nesting season for giant Canada geese occurs in March and April, depending on the severity of the winter, he explained, so it’s important to be especially mindful of geese when spending time outdoors during this time of year. If a goose begins to honk, hiss, or slap its wings, it’s trying to get you to move away.

I ignored the goose’s warnings. Now what?

While it’s intimidating to be hissed at by an angry, 10-pound descendent of dinosaurs, it’s important that you don’t show fear.
Per the Ohio Division of Wildlife, “waterfowl have excellent vision,” and they watch “the eyes and body language of humans and other animals.”

According to the department and Beckerman, when confronted with an angry, aggressive goose, you should do the following:
Maintain eye contact with the goose and keep your chest facing it.

Slowly and calmly back away.
Maintain a neutral demeanor.
Spread your arms to look bigger.

If the goose flies at your face, duck. And instead of turning around and running away, try to move perpendicularly away from the goose while still facing the attacking goose. (Maybe practice this maneuver in advance).

Of some comfort: According to the Ohio Division of Wildlife, the most common injuries caused by goose attacks—which include “broken bones, head injuries, and emotional distress”—occurred while the person was running away and tripped. So do your best to retreat slowly and be mindful of potential obstacles, which are more likely to harm you than the goose itself.

While injuries from goose attacks aren’t usually serious, they can leave mental scars. As the Ohio Division of Wildlife notes, “To the person who has been attacked and/or injured, these threats are real.” It also acknowledges that people who are attacked once might be more likely to experience it again in the future with other aggressive geese. Yes, the birds might sense their distress and target them accordingly.
Enjoy the fowl, but leave them alone. (Good advice when dealing with most wild animals!)