Wild Turkey
Meleagris gallopavo
Aves › Galliformes › Phasianidae › Meleagris
Conservation status: least_concern
The wild turkey is a large, dark bird native to North America with an iridescent bronze and green plumage and a distinctive bare head and neck that can flush bright red or blue depending on the bird's mood. Males, called gobblers, are famous for their impressive fanned tail displays and loud gobbling calls that can be heard from a mile away during breeding season.
How To Identify
They are large, robust fowl covered in predominantly reddish-brown feathers. Males have distinctive wattles, caruncles (fleshy growths), and a prominent snood extending from the beak.
Habitat
Wild turkeys inhabit open woodlands, forest edges, and grasslands across North America, preferring areas with a mix of trees for roosting and open ground for foraging.
Behaviour
Males perform elaborate courtship displays called 'strutting,' fanning their tail feathers, puffing up their bodies, and dragging their wings on the ground to attract females during spring breeding season.
Native Range
The wild turkey is native to North America.
Did You Know?
Male wild turkeys can run up to 25 mph and fly in short bursts at 55 mph, despite their hefty 16-25 pound frames. They produce the famous 'gobble' call that can be heard up to a mile away.
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