Goose
Barbara AllenA surprising cultural and natural history of the goose’s beauty, influence and resilience
Long dismissed as the dull cousin of ducks and swans, the goose proves to be a bird of astonishing significance. From medieval legends and the myth of the barnacle goose to Konrad Lorenz’s pioneering work on imprinting and the first human-led migration, geese occupy a rich place in science and story. Their quills helped write the Magna Carta and the Declaration of Independence. They wander through haiku, appear in art by Escher and Pissarro and leave tracks along the Camino de Santiago. Geese inspire conservationists, from Sir Peter Scott’s search for breeding grounds to efforts to save endangered species like the ruddy-headed goose. This book is a warm, curious account of a bird that has shaped human imagination, history and community more than we might think.
A surprising cultural and natural history of the goose’s beauty, influence and resilience
Long dismissed as the dull cousin of ducks and swans, the goose proves to be a bird of astonishing significance. From medieval legends and the myth of the barnacle goose to Konrad Lorenz’s pioneering work on imprinting and the first human-led migration, geese occupy a rich place in science and story. Their quills helped write the Magna Carta and the Declaration of Independence. They wander through haiku, appear in art by Escher and Pissarro and leave tracks along the Camino de Santiago. Geese inspire conservationists, from Sir Peter Scott’s search for breeding grounds to efforts to save endangered species like the ruddy-headed goose. This book is a warm, curious account of a bird that has shaped human imagination, history and community more than we might think.
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This wonderfully illustrated book contains everything you need to know about geese, and many things you didn't realise you needed to know! A treasure trove of fascinating information.
'Errol Fuller, author of Extinct Birds and Drawn from Paradise (co-authored with Sir David Attenborough)
Introduction
1 The Goose: Its Biology and Uniqueness
2 The Goose in Religion and Mythology
3 ‘Golden Goose’ to ‘Mother Goose’: The Goose in Literature and Culture
4 The Goose for Human Consumption: From Exploited to Endangered
Conclusion: Lessons from the Goose
Timeline
References
Select Bibliography
Associations and Websites
Acknowledgements
Photo Acknowledgements
Index
Barbara Allen is a minister in the Uniting Church in Australia. Her books include Pigeon (2009), Animals in Religion (2016), Pelican (2019) and Lost Animals, Disappearing Worlds: Stories of Extinction (2025), all published by Reaktion Books.
