Australian Settler Geese (formerly Pilgrim geese) are a medium-sized breed of domestic goose. They are an incredibly docile breed and are great for both farming and as estate or garden poultry. They are also a very fast-growing and early-maturing breed which makes them great for the meat market. Settlers have the benefit of being a sexually dimorphic breed with ganders being white with some grey spotting on their back feathers, while geese are predominantly a brown/olive/grey colour with a desired white mask or spectacles. To maintain this auto-sexing trait however, both males and females must carry the gene for dominant wild greying colour on both chromosomes as well as sex-linked dilution. Unlike other poultry, settlers (and European geese generally) will not produce eggs all year round, and will only produce around 40 eggs during their laying season in late winter/early spring for hatching throughout spring. These geese can also have a lifespan of up to 25 years.