Black Spanish Turkeys
The
Black Spanish Turkey is a heritage breed whose lineage can actually be traced back to Mexican Turkeys that were taken back to Europe in the 1500s.
Black Spanish Turkeys, as they were called in Spain, were brought back to North America with the colonists where they were crossed with the Eastern Wild Turkey to form today's
Black Spanish Turkey.
Though the popularity of the
Black Spanish Turkey in the commercial meat market dwindled with the rise of the
Broad Breasted Commercial Breeds, a recent revival of sustainable agriculture and free range turkey production has helped the numbers of the
Black Spanish Turkey recover in the 21st century.
The
Black Spanish Turkey is still listed as "critical" in its population status, but hopefully with the help of heritage turkey breeders this personable and wonderful heritage breed will soon be less threatened.
