The Black, sometimes referred to as the Black Spanish or the Norfolk Black, is a breed of domestic turkey. The Black was developed in Europe from the Aztec turkeys originally brought from Mexico by Spanish explorers.
The Bourbon Red which was developed from the Buff [Turkey] by selection is certainly a U.S. product. Development started in Pennsylvania with the selection of Jersey Buffs for deeper color. The result was called Tuscarora Red, sometimes Tuscawara Red.
Turkey Talk: Broad-breasted Whites vs. Heritage Turkeys - Broad-breasted white turkeys, birds bred for breast size instead of health, dominate the market. Learn about the broad-breasted white turkey.
While all wild turkeys (and domestic turkeys for that matter) are the same species, Merriam's and eastern turkeys are different subspecies with different color patterns. Your Merriam's is a good looker, and certainly more rare in turkey owner's flocks than easter wild turkeys.
The White Midget was developed by Smyth at Massachusetts in the 1950s for the smaller turkey market. An adult tom weighs 18-20 pounds and hens about 10-12 pounds . We are no longer shipping turkeys to Alaska. We are now able to ship turkeys to Minnesota.
The Royal Palm is a strikingly attractive and small-sized turkey variety. The first birds in America to have the Palm color pattern appeared in a mixed flock of Black, Bronze, Narragansett, and Wild turkeys on the farm of Enoch Carson of Lake Worth, Florida in the 1920s.