Calico Turkey

a.k.a. Sweetgrass, Tricolor and Yellow-shouldered Ronquière turkeys

A Sweetgrass tom
Photo courtesy of Pam Marshall

The Sweetgrass strain itself appeared recently in a flock of Heritage Bronze Turkeys. As it has had a lot of press, most people are now calling the color pattern by this name. Most of the Calico turkeys in the US are a result of bronze and white crossings.

In Belgium, this color pattern has existed for hundreds of years and it is known as the Yellow-shouldered Ronquière. A clear example of one of these turkeys appears in an old painting, by the Flemish master Joachim Beuckelaars, from 1566!

A displaying Sweetgrass
Photo courtesy of Phil Sponenberg of the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy

A flock of Sweetgrass Turkeys
Photo courtesy of Phil Sponenberg of the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy

The top of a Sweetgrass tom
Photo courtesy of Phil Sponenberg of the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy

Another tricolor or Calico variety developed by the Porters about 1996 and breeding true at this time
Photo courtesy of Kevin & Jill Porter: Gennesarett at aol.com

More of the Porter's Calicos -- note that this is a different strain from the Sweetgrass, having a heritage body and a rich orange color that differs from the chestnut red of the Sweetgrass
Photo courtesy of Kevin & Jill Porter: Gennesarett at aol.com

More Sweetgrass toms
Photo courtesy of Connor Elliott

A Calico hen and tom
Photos courtesy of Connor Elliott

A Porter Sweetgrass hen
Photo courtesy of Kevin & Jill Porter: Gennesarett at aol.com

Another displaying Sweetgrass tom
Photo courtesy of Ila Anderson