The African is a breed

Breed

A breed is a group of domestic animals or plants with a homogeneous appearance, behavior, and other characteristics that distinguish it from other animals or plants of the same species. Despite the centrality of the idea of "breeds" to animal husbandry, there is no scientifically accepted...

 of domestic goose. Not actually African at all, African breed geese are descended from the wild Swan Goose

Swan Goose

The Swan Goose is a rare large goose with a natural breeding range in inland Mongolia, northernmost China, and southeastern Russia. It is migratory and winters mainly in central and eastern China...

, just like their close cousin the Chinese goose

Chinese goose

The Chinese Goose is a breed of domesticated goose descended from the wild Swan Goose. Chinese geese differ from the wild birds in much larger size , and in having an often strongly developed basal knob on the upper side of the bill. The knob at the top of the beak is more prominent on males than...

. Though they share some similar characteristics (such as color variations), the two can be distinguished by the African's larger dewlap

Dewlap

A dewlap is a longitudinal flap of skin that hangs beneath the lower jaw or neck of many vertebrates. While the term is usually used in this specific context, it can also be used to include other structures occurring in the same body area with a similar aspect, such as those caused by a double...

 and different knob

Knob

Knob may refer to:* A rounded handle that one pulls or twists:** Doorknob, a round handle one turns to open any door** Control knob, controls a device** Brodie knob on the steering wheel...

 shape. African geese are also quite a bit heavier than Chinese, and are more well-known for their docile temperaments.

Two origin theories persist for the fowl: the first purporting that Africans are the result of crosses of Swan Geese and Chinese, while the other asserts that they are pure derivations of the Swan Goose, and their unique traits are simply the result of selective breeding

Selective breeding

Selective breeding is the process of breeding plants and animals for particular genetic traits. Typically, strains that are selectively bred are domesticated, and the breeding is sometimes done by a professional breeder. Bred animals are known as breeds, while bred plants are known as varieties,...

. Whichever the case, it has existed as a distinct breed since at least the middle of the nineteenth century, and was admitted to the American Poultry Association

American Poultry Association

The American Poultry Association is the oldest poultry organization in the North America. Founded in 1873, and incorporated in Indiana in 1932 The first American poultry show was held in 1849, and the APA was later formed in response to the burgeoning need for an overseeing body to set standards...

's Standard of Perfection in 1874.

African geese appear in three color varieties: Brown, Buff and White. Browns have black bills and knobs, and plumage with irregular shades, from a very light to dark brown. Whites have all-white plumage and orange bills and knobs.