Norfolk Black

This is a black turkey. It is a very old breed. These birds came from Spain to Britain.

People once raised them in Norfolk. This is a place in England. They have dark feathers. This color came from wild birds.

Some people took them to a new land. They were once very common there. Later, fewer people raised them.

Now, these birds are in danger. There are not many left. We must help them stay safe.

Many groups work to save them. They help farmers raise more birds.

The Norfolk Black is a type of turkey. It is a British breed. Some people call it the Black Spanish. It is likely the oldest turkey breed in the UK.

These birds came from Spain to Britain. This happened in the early sixteenth century. It may have been around 1524. A man named William Strickland might have brought them.

Wild birds in the New World sometimes had black feathers. People chose to breed turkeys with that color. In England, many people raised them in Norfolk. This is a place in East Anglia.

Later, people took these black turkeys to the New World. They mixed them with wild turkeys. This helped make new breeds like the Bronze turkey.

In the U.S., these birds were once common. Then, new kinds of turkeys became more popular. Now, the breed is in danger. A group called the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy says they are an endangered variety. This means there are very few left. In 1998, only 200 were found in the U.S.

The Norfolk Black is a special kind of turkey. Some people call it the Black Spanish or the Black Turkey. It is a British breed of bird. Many people think it is the oldest turkey breed in the UK. This bird is part of our history. It matters because it is a heritage breed.

These birds have a very interesting way they came to be. Wild birds in the New World sometimes had black feathers. Breeders chose to mate birds with that specific color. This is called selective breeding. They wanted to keep the dark feathers. In England, farmers raised them in East Anglia. They mostly lived in a place called Norfolk.

We can look back at when these birds first arrived. Early explorers brought turkeys from the New World to Europe. They likely brought them to Britain from Spain. This happened in the early sixteenth century. A book from 1643 says this was around 1524. That was during the reign of King Henry VIII. A man named William Strickland might have brought them.

These turkeys traveled far across the ocean. Early colonists took black turkeys to the New World. They mixed them with wild turkeys called Meleagris gallopavo silvestris. This helped create new breeds like the Bronze and Slate. In the U.S., these birds were common for a long time. They were farmed until the early 20th century. Then, newer breeds like the Broad Breasted White became more popular.

Today, we must work hard to save these birds. The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy says they are endangered. This means they might disappear forever. In 1998, only 200 Black Spanish turkeys lived in the U.S. Only 15 breeders were raising them then. Groups like the Accokeek Foundation help reintroduce them. Now, a group of turkeys lives at Piscataway Park.

The Norfolk Black is a specific breed of domestic turkey. It is also known as the Black Spanish or the Black Turkey. This bird is a British breed of poultry. It is considered the oldest turkey breed in the United Kingdom. This breed is important because it is a heritage variety. Heritage breeds are animals that have been part of human history for a long time. Today, these birds are at risk of disappearing forever.

The history of this bird began with explorers from the New World. Early conquistadors brought turkeys back to Europe. These birds likely arrived in Britain from Spain. This happened during the early sixteenth century. A historian named Richard Baker wrote about this in 1643. He used a book called the Chronicle of the Kings of England. He noted that this occurred around 1524. This was during the reign of King Henry VIII. A man named William Strickland is often credited with bringing them.

Selective breeding helped create the look of the Norfolk Black. In the wild, some turkeys had black feathers. European breeders chose to mate these specific birds together. This process is called selective breeding. It allows humans to choose certain traits in animals. By doing this, they ensured the dark color stayed in the breed. In England, farmers raised these turkeys in East Anglia. They were particularly common in the area of Norfolk.

These turkeys eventually traveled back across the ocean. Early colonists took black turkeys to the New World. They began cross-breeding these birds with wild turkeys. The scientific name for the Eastern wild turkey is Meleagris gallopavo silvestris. This mixing of birds led to several new breeds. These included the Bronze, Narragansett, and Slate breeds. In the United States, the Black Spanish was a common farm bird. It remained a commercial variety until the early 20th century.

The popularity of the breed changed over time. Newer breeds eventually took its place in American farms. These newer varieties included the Broad Breasted Bronze and Broad Breasted White. Because of this shift, the Norfolk Black became much rarer. In the United Kingdom, the breed almost disappeared entirely. However, it was rescued from imminent disappearance during the 1930s. Today, the bird faces new challenges in the United States.

Conservation groups now work to protect this endangered variety. The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy lists them as endangered. They are also part of the Slow Food USA Ark of Taste. This is a catalogue of heritage foods facing extinction. A census from 1998 showed how few birds remained. There were only 200 Black Spanish turkeys left in the United States. Only 15 different breeders were raising them at that time.

Many organizations are helping to bring the breed back. The Accokeek Foundation helped reintroduce the bird to the Potomac River region. They did this by sharing breeding stock with local farmers. They also shared stock with historical museums. Currently, a group of these turkeys is being preserved in the U.S. This group is called a rafter. They live within the National Colonial Farm at Piscataway Park. The Heritage Breed Livestock Conservation Program manages them. This work helps increase public awareness of this threatened breed.