The Pilgrim did not arrive on the Mayflower: Oscar Grow developed it in the 1930s and named it for his family's Depression-era move from Iowa to Missouri, and it entered the APA Standard in 1939. Its selling point is that it is autosexing even at hatch — male goslings are silvery yellow with pale bills, females olive-grey with dark bills. Adults keep the split: ganders white with grey on the rump, geese soft dove-grey. Pilgrims are quiet, docile, good foragers and good parents, and they make a medium-sized roasting goose.
Beginner friendly
Good with kids
Cold hardy
Heat tolerant
Broody
Egg colorWhite
Egg production25–40 / year
TemperamentDocile
BroodinessFrequent
ClimateCold hardy, Heat tolerant
PurposeMeat
Weight
Goose13 lb
Gander14 lb
How to spot it
Plumage
Ganders mostly white with a grey rump; geese soft dove-grey with some white on the face
Look for
Blue eyes on the white gander, dark brown on the grey goose
