Bourbon Red turkeys originate from Kentucky, USA. They are a rare heritage breed that are a rich reddish brown in coloring, with white wing and tail feathers that have soft bars at the tips. The wattle is red, although it is changeable to a blueish white color.

The females lay creamy colored eggs that are sometimes spotted. Bourbon Reds are slow to mature and have a varied diet. They are active foragers that eat many common garden pests and they are ideal for free range set ups and are also good as back garden birds, provided they have enough space to exercise. Because they take a long time to grow, their meat has a rich flavor.

Once a successful breed, farming conditions meant that broad breasted turkeys became more preferable, however there is now more interest in this breed and it is enjoying a comeback. Mature males weigh around 10.4 kg and the females 6.3 kg.