Who said “One swallow does not make a summer, but one skein of geese, cleaving the murk of March…”?

Verified

Aldo Leopold. A published source records them saying or writing it.

Source“March: The Geese Return”, p. 18.

Evidence: Wikiquote · How we check

Source checked · Something wrong? Report a correction

Authors A–Z
“One swallow does not make a summer, but one skein of geese, cleaving the murk of March thaw, is the Spring.”
— Aldo Leopold
Verified“March: The Geese Return”, p. 18. · evidenceSeasons

Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: “March: The Geese Return”, p. 18..

APA

Leopold, A. (n.d.). One swallow does not make a summer, but one skein of geese, cleaving the murk of March thaw, is the Spring. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/36964-one-swallow-does-not-make-a-summer-but/

MLA

Leopold, Aldo. “One swallow does not make a summer, but one skein of geese, cleaving the murk of March thaw, is the Spring.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/36964-one-swallow-does-not-make-a-summer-but/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Leopold, Aldo. “One swallow does not make a summer, but one skein of geese, cleaving the murk of March thaw, is the Spring.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/36964-one-swallow-does-not-make-a-summer-but/.

Related quotes

“Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush.”
— Doug Larson
Seasons

More quotes by Aldo Leopold

“We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.”
Ecology
All 2 Aldo Leopold quotes →