Turkey breeds are reported to theDAD-IS breed database of theFood and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations by more than sixty countries.[1] The breeds reported include commercial/industrial strains, local types and recognised breeds in many countries.
Twenty breeds are reported to DAD-IS by the United States.[2] Eight of them are recognised by theAmerican Poultry Association in itsbreed standard, theAmerican Standard of Perfection, where however they are classified as "varieties" rather than as breeds.[citation needed] This may be because the original genotype for domestic turkeys was for Bronze, and all other color varieties are due to mutations from it.[citation needed]
| Variety | Year admitted by APA[3] | Type | Comments | images |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beltsville Small White | 1951 | heritage turkey | Created by theUSDA atBeltsville Agricultural Research Center in Beltsville,Maryland. Once very popular, it is now rare.[4] |  |
| Black turkey | 1874 | heritage turkey | Alternatively called Spanish Black or Norfolk Black or American Black. |  |
| Bourbon Red | 1909 | heritage turkey |  | |
| Bronze | 1874 | heritage turkey | TheBroad Breasted Bronze, like theBroad Breasted White, are nonstandardized commercial strains that do not qualify as a variety. |  |
| Narragansett | 1874 | heritage turkey |  | |
| Royal Palm | 1977 | heritage turkey | Largely ornamental, mostly white with distinctive black banding. |  |
| Slate | 1874 | heritage turkey | Alternatively known as Blue Slate or Lavender. | |
| White Holland | 1874 |  |
Twelve breeds are recognized by theEntente Européenne d'Aviculture et de Cuniculture.[5] Others with breed standards of European national associations are accepted.
| Variety (by National Standards) | Variety (colour) | country of origin | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Blue (Slate Turkey) | gray/blue | US | |
| American Bronze | Brown/Black base color with white near some of the turkey's feather tips. | US | |
| American Black | US | Pink legs and horn-colored beak. Spanish Black and Norfolk Black have black pigmented legs and beak. | |
| Beltsville Small White | white | US | |
| Dindon du Bourbonnais | black | F | |
| Cambridge Bronze | GB | ||
| Deutsche Pute | D | with EE-Standard of Perfection | |
| Deutsche Pute | blue | D | |
| Bourbon Red | D | ||
| Bronze | D | ||
| Cröllwitzer | D | ≈Royal Palm (US) | |
| Buff | D | ||
| Bronce | D | ||
| narragansett coloured | D | ||
| Red | D | ||
| Red Winged | D | ||
| Black | D | ||
| Black Winged Bronze | D | ||
| British white | D | ||
| French turkey (Dindon) | porcelan coloured | F | |
| Dindon du Gers | schwarz | F | |
| Tacchino castano d'Italia | I | ||
| Tacchino nero d'Italia | black | I | |
| Pavo oscense | black | SP | |
| Narragansett | US | ||
| Norfolk Black Turkey | GB | ||
| Dindon de Ronquières | fauve | B | |
| à épaulettes jaunes | B | ≈Tricoloré du Colorado (F), ≈Sweetgrass (US) | |
| jaspé | B | ≈Royal Palm (US), ≈Cröllwitzer (EE) | |
| perdrix | B | ≈Krefelder Pute (D) | |
| White (blanc) | B | ||
| Royal Palm | black and white | GB | |
| Dindon rouge des Ardennes | B/F | a French breed, supposedly brought toFlanders in the 16th century from Mexico by the Spanish. | |
| Dindon de Sologne | black | F | |
| Czech turkey (Česká krůta) | Czech Wild White-braided Turkey (Divocezbarvené bíle lemované) | CZ | |
| šedědivocezbarvene bíle lemované | CZ | ||
| White Holland | US | ||
| English Turkey | buff | E |
Other varieties not recognized by the APA or EE include the following:
