The Social Life of Greylag Geese: Patterns, Mechanisms and Evolutionary Function in an Avian Model System

The flock of greylag geese established by Konrad Lorenz in Austria in 1973 has become an influential model animal system and one of the few worldwide with complete life-history data spanning several decades. Based on the unique records of nearly 1000 free-living greylag geese, this is a synthesis of more than twenty years of behavioral research. It provides a comprehensive overview of a complex bird society, placing it in an evolutionary framework and drawing on a range of approaches, including behavioral (personality, aggression, pair bonding and clan formation), physiological, cognitive and genetic. With contributions from leading researchers, the chapters provide valuable insight into historic and recent research on the social behavior of geese. All aspects of goose and bird sociality are discussed in the context of parallels with mammalian social organization, making this a fascinating resource for anyone interested in integrative approaches to vertebrate social systems.
Synthesizes more than twenty years of published and unpublished data collected from a renowned animal model system, providing an overview of historic and recent research on goose social behavior
Leaders in the field address animal behavior from a variety of perspectives, including evolutionary, physiological and cognitive approaches
The data is complemented by anecdotal evidence from the past 20 years, making this a fascinating resource for anyone interested in integrative approaches to vertebrate social systems.