MUNCIE, INDIANA (NewsLink) – What has webbed feet, a pointy beak and a mission to take over campus every spring?
You’ve got it. It’s the geese.
The infamous geese have been making a buzz on social media for their aggressiveness this past week; so much so that Ball State Housing and Residence Life had to warn students passing in and out of the Kinghorn dorm on campus.
Students have been channeling their fight or flight when passing by the geese while making their way around campus.
“Lately, they’ve been getting pretty aggressive,” sophomore Lizabeth Vazquez said.
“I think they’re very violent and they should be banned off campus,” sophomore Jerry Padgett said. “I got chased down the other day.”
“I haven’t been attacked yet,” freshman Amara Rollins said.
The reason for their behavior? It's breeding season. According to geeserelief.com, geese become much more territorial and aggressive during the spring because they are afraid their eggs might be threatened.
As always, try to avoid the birds when walking around campus. If you happen to catch yourself in a faceoff with a goose, the website says to maintain eye contact, face your body toward the bird and back away slowly until you’re in the clear.
Do not run, yell, kick or close your eyes. Geese pick up that body language as threatening.
Again, if you’re walking around campus this spring, try your best to steer clear of the geese. Ball State’s campus is considered the “nest” after all.
Contact Grace Bentkowski with comments or questions at gmbentkowski@bsu.edu or @GBentkowskiTV on Twitter.
