The African goose is an old breed and its origins are not clear, although it is related to the wild swan goose in Asia. African geese are large and stout looking, have a knob above their bill and a dewlap on their lower jaw. The dewlap is slow to develop, unlike other breeds. The color varieties are brown, grey, white and buff. They are mostly kept for their rich tasting meat, and is thought to be one of the leanest goose meats.

The females lay around 40 eggs per year and do get broody. African geese are a long living breed that is docile and sociable in temperament, although the males can sometimes be aggressive in the breeding season. They are easy to look after and enjoy grazing on grass. They also make good guards, and are noisy when surprised. Mature males weigh around 12.7 kg and the females 10.9 kg.