Meet the Chicago Cubs’ Newest Feathered Fan: a Canada Goose That Built Her Nest in Their Baseball Stadium After the ballpark sent a crew of “geesekeepers” to protect her over the weekend, the bird appears to have moved on. But she earned a place in the hearts of Cubs fans—and in the team’s long history of animal-related lore The goose briefly made a nest in a juniper planter next to the center-field seats in Wrigley Field's bleachers. Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune / Tribune News Service via Getty Images Fowl ball! A Canada goose caused a stir in Chicago over the weekend after building her nest near the outfield bleachers at Wrigley Field. On Friday, the Cubs played their home opener against the San Diego Padres. When ballpark employees and fans showed up, they found a female goose sitting in a juniper planter beneath the scoreboard, next to the center-field seats. Another goose—possibly the female’s mate—was also spotted hanging around the 111-year-old baseball stadium. “They wanted the best view of the game,” says Michael Pardun, a 26-year-old Chicago resident, to the Associated Press’ Sarah Trotto. “They’re diehard fans.” Before Saturday’s game, ballpark staffers closed off a section of seats near the nest and sent in a team of “geesekeepers” to make sure no one bothered the bird. “At the Friendly Confines, we truly mean it when we say everyone’s welcome, including the goose and her nest who took up residence in the bleachers,” Jennifer Martinez, a spokeswoman for the team, says in a statement to the Associated Press. “We’re giving her the space she needs while we’ve been working closely with a wildlife organization to manage the situation safely and responsibly, in full accordance with state law. In the meantime, we have blocked off the area to fans,” she adds. “Protecting our fans, and our feathered guest, is our top priority.” The goose stuck around for Sunday’s game, too. But, as of Monday, it appeared the bird had left the stadium, reports the Washington Post’s Jonathan Edwards. Fans were once again allowed to sit in the previously closed section as the Cubs faced off against the Texas Rangers.Still, it’s clear that the goose has made a lasting impression. Some Cubs fans nicknamed her “Suzuki,” after outfielder Seiya Suzuki, while others called her “Pete Goose-Armstrong”—or “PGA,” for short—after outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong. Debbie Hultine, who’s had Cubs season tickets for more than 40 years, was thrilled that the goose had chosen her beloved Wrigley Field to build a nest. Hultine and her husband, Buster Zenor, got married at Wrigley Field, so they understand the historic stadium’s appeal. “I’ve been going to games for a heck of a long time,” Hultine tells the Washington Post, “and I have never seen this happen.” Some Canada geese (Branta canadensis) do migrate twice a year. But the large birds are increasingly living in the United States year-round, taking up residence in parks, golf courses and other grassy lawns. They typically mate and lay their eggs in early spring, so the Wrigley Field goose was simply following her instincts. The Cubs have a somewhat complicated relationship with animals. For 71 years, the team famously suffered from the “Curse of the Billy Goat,” which was supposedly placed after ballpark staffers would not admit a local tavern owner and his pet goat into the stadium in 1945. Fans blamed the curse for the team’s decades-long drought in World Series appearances, which finally ended in 2016.Another animal purportedly cursed the team in 1969. The Cubs were playing the New York Mets at Shea Stadium in New York when a black cat emerged in front of the team’s dugout and began prowling around during the fourth inning. The Cubs went on to lose that game, and superstitious fans blamed the cat. And what about the Wrigley Field goose? Since she built her nest, the team’s results appear to be a bit of a mixed bag. The Cubs defeated the Padres on Friday and Saturday, but they lost on Sunday. They also won Monday’s game against the Rangers. Chicago Tribune columnist Paul Sullivan is pro-goose. He writes that the team has been “in dire need” of a rally animal—baseball-speak for a furry or feathered good luck charm—ever since the Curse of the Billy Goat ended nearly a decade ago. “Perhaps the Cubs will find another goose to replace PGA in the bleachers and give fans a reason to believe this is their year,” he writes. Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.