Origin
The Pilgrim goose, as a standardised breed is a relatively recent development by Oscar Grow, an authority on waterfowl in the 1900s. He claims to have developed the breed in Iowa and it was named by his wife in memory of their relocation - or pilgrimage - to Missouri during the Great Depression of the 1930s. The breed was first documented by the name "Pilgrim" in 1935, corresponding with the Grow family's pilgrimage and admitted into the American Poultry Association's Standard of Perfection in 1939.
Looking into the origins of the breed however, there are many references to auto-sexing geese in colonial America, western England and Normandy, France, though never referred to by a name. It is considered by some that the Pilgrim is related to the West of England goose, another auto-sexing breed, which could possibly have arrived in America with early colonists. Domesticated from the Greylag goose the auto sexing goose is of European origin.
Following extensive referencing it has been concluded these autosexing geese were the common farmyard goose of early Britain. From an ancient breed that had been selected over the years to give mainly white ganders and grey females. Because they were taken for granted they were never recognised by name and became overtaken in popularity by newer imported breeds, Toulouse and Embden. However in the less progressive areas of Britain such as South West England they hung on in small populations.
Autosexing:
The sex of both goslings and mature Pilgrim geese can be distinguished by the colour. Day-old males are silver-yellow with light-coloured bills, in contrast to the olive-grey females with their darker bills. Adult males are mostly white, usually with grey rumps (which are covered by the wings) and traces of colour in the tail and wings. Mature females are soft dove-grey with varying amounts of white in their faces. Bills and legs are orange in both sexes, while the eyes are blue in ganders and dark brown in geese.
Only a pure bred line of Pilgrim geese will give autosexing offspring and even these need rigorous selection to maintain this. Even so some white females can be found or females that tend towards West of England markings, with some white primaries, white on the breast and too much white in young birds on the neck.
The goose carries a dilution gene that..
Standards:
Character:
The Pilgrim goose is known for being calm and personableb Pilgrims are medium-sized geese, weighing 13 - 14 pounds at maturity. The head is trim, the crown is often slightly flattened and the neck is average in length and thickness. Their bodies are full and plump, with a smooth, keelless breast. They should have two rounded fatty lobes on the abdomen. Properly managed, they lay 35-45 six to seven ounce white eggs annually.
Pilgrims are rugged, quiet, docile, good foragers, excellent natural parents and make good medium-sized roasting birds. Because they are sex-linked for colour, it is a simple matter - even for the novice - to keep the correct ratio of males to females when selecting young for future breeders. Ganders can be mated with three to five geese." (Holderread, 1981). When selecting for breeding stock "look for broad backs and breasts that are keelless. Stay away from using birds with any sign of a knob (an indication of crossbreeding), long necks and legs, shallow breasts, ganders with excessive grey in the plumage and geese with predominantly white necks. Because Pilgrims are noted for being sweet-tempered, this trait should be considered when retaining birds for reproduction." (Holderread, 1981). For those seeking a medium-weight goose, Pilgrims are an excellent choice for the home goose flock.
Status: See CPL
Breed Standard:
Pilgrim geese: British Waterfowl Standards 2008 – reproduced with permission of the British Waterfowl Association
www.waterfowl.org.uk
Classification: Light [1982]
Origin: Great Britain. First standardised in the USA.
Colour genotype: wild-colour except for sex-linked, dominant dilution gene (Sd (Sd)).
Shape: male and female
Carriage: Above the horizontal, but not upright.
Head: Medium in size, oval and trim. Eyes moderately large. Bill medium in length straight, stout, smoothly attached.
Neck: Medium in length, moderately stout, slightly arched.
Body: Moderately long, plump and meaty. Back moderately broad, uniform in width, flat and straight. Breast round, full, deep. Adult abdomen deep, dual-lobed and well balanced., free from bagginess.
Tail: Medium in length, closely folded, carried nearly level.
Wings: Strong, well developed, neatly carried to the body.
Legs and feet: Lower thighs medium in length, well fleshed. Shanks moderately short and stout.
Plumage: Hard and tight.
Colour:
Gander:
Plumage: White. Some traces of light greyin back plumage, wings and tail.
Goose:
Head: Light grey, thre forepart broken with with white and forming characteristic “spectacles” around the eyes. White becoming more extensive with age.
Neck: Light grey, upper portion mixed with white in mature specimens.
Back: Light ashy grey edged with lighter shade.
Breast: Very light ashy grey, gradually getting lighter under the body. The stern is white.
Flanks: Soft, ashy grey, each feather edged with a lighter shade.
Tail: Ashy grey, heavily edged with lighter grey approaching white.
Wings:
Primaries medium grey.
Secondaries darker.
Scapulars, greater and median coverts medium grey edged with lighter grey.
Lesser coverts light ashy grey, edged with lighter grey.
In both sexes
Eyes: Bluish grey in gander; hazel brown in goose.Orange cilium.
Bill: Orange
Legs and webs: Orange
Weights:
Gander 6.3-8.2kg (14-18lb)
Goose 5.4-7.3kg (12-16lb)
Scale of points
Carriage 10
Head and throat 10
Neck 5
Body 15
Legs and feet 5
Condition 10
Colour 35
Size 10
Defects:
Disqualifications:
In the goose:
White blaze on the breast. Absense of white on the head and neck of older birds.
Major defects:
In both sexes: Flesh or pink-coloured bills, feet and shanks. Single-lobed or unbalanced paunch. Undersize.
In the gander: Completely white or with solid grey features in the plumage.
In the goose: White flights. All white head. Predominantly white neck.
Bibliography:
Looking into the origins of the breed however, there are many references to auto-sexing geese in colonial America, western England and Normandy, France, though never referred to by a name. It is considered by some that the Pilgrim is related to the West of England goose, another auto-sexing breed, which could possibly have arrived in America with early colonists. Domesticated from the Greylag goose the auto sexing goose is of European origin.
Following extensive referencing it has been concluded these autosexing geese were the common farmyard goose of early Britain. From an ancient breed that had been selected over the years to give mainly white ganders and grey females. Because they were taken for granted they were never recognised by name and became overtaken in popularity by newer imported breeds, Toulouse and Embden. However in the less progressive areas of Britain such as South West England they hung on in small populations.
Autosexing:
The sex of both goslings and mature Pilgrim geese can be distinguished by the colour. Day-old males are silver-yellow with light-coloured bills, in contrast to the olive-grey females with their darker bills. Adult males are mostly white, usually with grey rumps (which are covered by the wings) and traces of colour in the tail and wings. Mature females are soft dove-grey with varying amounts of white in their faces. Bills and legs are orange in both sexes, while the eyes are blue in ganders and dark brown in geese.
Only a pure bred line of Pilgrim geese will give autosexing offspring and even these need rigorous selection to maintain this. Even so some white females can be found or females that tend towards West of England markings, with some white primaries, white on the breast and too much white in young birds on the neck.
The goose carries a dilution gene that..
Standards:
Character:
The Pilgrim goose is known for being calm and personableb Pilgrims are medium-sized geese, weighing 13 - 14 pounds at maturity. The head is trim, the crown is often slightly flattened and the neck is average in length and thickness. Their bodies are full and plump, with a smooth, keelless breast. They should have two rounded fatty lobes on the abdomen. Properly managed, they lay 35-45 six to seven ounce white eggs annually.
Pilgrims are rugged, quiet, docile, good foragers, excellent natural parents and make good medium-sized roasting birds. Because they are sex-linked for colour, it is a simple matter - even for the novice - to keep the correct ratio of males to females when selecting young for future breeders. Ganders can be mated with three to five geese." (Holderread, 1981). When selecting for breeding stock "look for broad backs and breasts that are keelless. Stay away from using birds with any sign of a knob (an indication of crossbreeding), long necks and legs, shallow breasts, ganders with excessive grey in the plumage and geese with predominantly white necks. Because Pilgrims are noted for being sweet-tempered, this trait should be considered when retaining birds for reproduction." (Holderread, 1981). For those seeking a medium-weight goose, Pilgrims are an excellent choice for the home goose flock.
Status: See CPL
Breed Standard:
Pilgrim geese: British Waterfowl Standards 2008 – reproduced with permission of the British Waterfowl Association
www.waterfowl.org.uk
Classification: Light [1982]
Origin: Great Britain. First standardised in the USA.
Colour genotype: wild-colour except for sex-linked, dominant dilution gene (Sd (Sd)).
Shape: male and female
Carriage: Above the horizontal, but not upright.
Head: Medium in size, oval and trim. Eyes moderately large. Bill medium in length straight, stout, smoothly attached.
Neck: Medium in length, moderately stout, slightly arched.
Body: Moderately long, plump and meaty. Back moderately broad, uniform in width, flat and straight. Breast round, full, deep. Adult abdomen deep, dual-lobed and well balanced., free from bagginess.
Tail: Medium in length, closely folded, carried nearly level.
Wings: Strong, well developed, neatly carried to the body.
Legs and feet: Lower thighs medium in length, well fleshed. Shanks moderately short and stout.
Plumage: Hard and tight.
Colour:
Gander:
Plumage: White. Some traces of light greyin back plumage, wings and tail.
Goose:
Head: Light grey, thre forepart broken with with white and forming characteristic “spectacles” around the eyes. White becoming more extensive with age.
Neck: Light grey, upper portion mixed with white in mature specimens.
Back: Light ashy grey edged with lighter shade.
Breast: Very light ashy grey, gradually getting lighter under the body. The stern is white.
Flanks: Soft, ashy grey, each feather edged with a lighter shade.
Tail: Ashy grey, heavily edged with lighter grey approaching white.
Wings:
Primaries medium grey.
Secondaries darker.
Scapulars, greater and median coverts medium grey edged with lighter grey.
Lesser coverts light ashy grey, edged with lighter grey.
In both sexes
Eyes: Bluish grey in gander; hazel brown in goose.Orange cilium.
Bill: Orange
Legs and webs: Orange
Weights:
Gander 6.3-8.2kg (14-18lb)
Goose 5.4-7.3kg (12-16lb)
Scale of points
Carriage 10
Head and throat 10
Neck 5
Body 15
Legs and feet 5
Condition 10
Colour 35
Size 10
Defects:
Disqualifications:
In the goose:
White blaze on the breast. Absense of white on the head and neck of older birds.
Major defects:
In both sexes: Flesh or pink-coloured bills, feet and shanks. Single-lobed or unbalanced paunch. Undersize.
In the gander: Completely white or with solid grey features in the plumage.
In the goose: White flights. All white head. Predominantly white neck.
Bibliography:
- Bender, Marjorie; Sponenberg, D. Phillip; Bixby, Donald. 2000. Taking Stock of Waterfowl: The results of the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy's Domestic Duck and Goose Census. American Livestock Breeds Conservancy. Pittsboro, North Carolina.
- Hawes, Robert. "Origin of the Pilgrim Goose," ALBC News. Vol. 8, No.4, May-June 1991.
- Holderread, Dave. 1986. Breed Bulletin #8621, "Pilgrim Geese."
