Pilgrimsgås

What is certain is that the breed was derived from the “Common Goose” and the most significant thing about these are that the male is white and the female is grey. These very definite different colours in male and female are known as “auto-sexing” and this was much valued by poultry farmers mid 19th century as they could easily distinguish the sex of the birds at a comparatively early age. They are not plentiful in the UK but were taken up by some poultry exhibitors and so became better known.

Their purpose has always been as a medium sized table bird that fattens well from grass – very typical of a goose that was probably raised on common land throughout the UK from medieval times.

Appearance
The gander is snow white with orange legs and blue eyes while the grey goose has white spectacles and hazel-brown eyes. The white markings on the goose do increase with age. Both sexes have short, stout legs as you might expect for the foraging they do and their plumage is hard and tight against the weather.

This is a light goose breed.

Low in numbers in the UK. Be very careful that you are being sold true Pilgrim geese as for male there are plenty of small white ganders that are NOT Pilgrim geese. The resulting off spring therefore will not carry the auto-sexing gene so the distinction of the white gander and grey female will become blurred and finally disappear. Try and find a breeder with a history of breeding and exhibiting this breed.