The Shetland Goose

Like the majority of European and North American domestic geese, the Shetland goose is thought to have descended from the Greylag. As the name suggests, the Shetland Goose was domesticated upon the Shetland Isles off of Scotland and quickly became a mainstay of the islands bird’s population.

The Shetland Goose is not a particularly heavy goose, with the gander weighing at its peak between 5.4kg and 6.4kg, the goose weighs a kilogram or so less. The most distinctive feature of the Shetland Goose though is its colouring. The gander of the species is always white, with the goose always grey and white. The head and upper neck of the goose is white, with grey more prominent around the lower neck, under-wing back and thigh areas. This colourisation also makes it very easy to sex any hatchlings, and this can be done within a couple of days

The gander will also have blue eyes. The goose will have brown eyes normally, although brown and blue mottled is not unheard of. Shetland geese will have reddish bills at the tip, with a more orange hue closer to the face, the geese will also have pink coloured feet and legs.

The colourisation of the Shetland Goose does lead to it sometimes being confused with the Pilgrim breed of goose, although the bill of the Shetland is smaller and of a different colour.

The addition of Shetland geese to a farm or smallholding has many advantages. The obvious ones of include the decent size of the bird when stocked as an eating bird, with the bird regarded to have a flavour reminiscent of game, additionally a Shetland goose is likely to provide up to 25 eggs. The Shetland though is also a great forager and will happily graze with no need to provide any extra food. It is also a good idea to mix the Shetland in with other animals, including livestock, as the Shetland Goose will help to control parasitic levels.

The Shetland Goose is now to be found in many areas of the world, although the British Isles remains the focus for the majority of the population. The Shetland Goose though has the ability to travel, as its strong wings allow for sustained flight, unlike many other domestic breeds of geese, including the Sebastopol Goose.

The Shetland Goose makes a good addition to any grouping of wildfowl and livestock, and although they are unlikely to become family pets, will help in many other aspects.

Copyright - First Published 5th March 2010