Goose
≈ 3 min read
Names in other languages
- astGoose
- DeutschGoose
- EnglishGoose
- fiGoose
- FrançaisGoose
- NederlandsGoose
- РусскийGoose
- vlsGoose
Article bodies are English and are not machine-translated. A name in another language is not a translation of the article.
A goose ( : geese) is a bird of any of several waterfowl species in the family Anatidae. This group comprises the genera Anser (grey geese and white geese) and Branta (black geese). Some members of the Tadorninae subfamily (e.g., Egyptian goose, Orinoco goose) are commonly called geese, but are not considered "true geese" taxonomically. More distantly related members of the family Anatidae are swans, most of which are larger than true geese, and ducks, which are smaller. The term "goose" may refer to such bird of either sex, but when paired with "gander", "goose" refers specifically to a female one ("gander" referring to a male). Young birds before fledging are called goslings. The collective noun for a group of geese on the ground is a gaggle; when in flight, they are called a skein, a team, or a wedge; when flying close together, they are called a plump.
A goose ( : geese) is a bird of any of several waterfowl species in the family Anatidae. This group comprises the genera Anser (grey geese and white geese) and Branta (black geese). Some members of the Tadorninae subfamily (e.g., Egyptian goose, Orinoco goose) are commonly called geese, but are not considered "true geese" taxonomically. More distantly related members of the family Anatidae are swans, most of which are larger than true geese, and ducks, which are smaller. The term "goose" may refer to such bird of either sex, but when paired with "gander", "goose" refers specifically to a female one ("gander" referring to a male). Young birds before fledging are called goslings. The collective noun for a group of geese on the ground is a gaggle; when in flight, they are called a skein, a team, or a wedge; when flying close together, they are called a plump.
"Gray Goose Laws" in Iceland
The oldest collection of Medieval Icelandic laws is known as "Grágás"; i.e., the Gray Goose Laws. Various etymologies were offered for that name: The fact that the laws were written with a goose quill; The fact that the laws were bound in goose skin; Because of the age of the laws—it was then believed that geese lived longer than other birds.
Further reading
Text derived from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1373187094 under CC BY-SA 4.0; modifications have been made.