Overview
Wild Turkey: Large, ground-walking bird, iridescent dark brown overall with black and green bars, small, featherless, blue head that changes color according to mood, and red throat wattles. Breast beard (modified feathers) is black. The legs have spurs. It is the largest game bird in North America.
Range and Habitat
Wild Turkey: Resident in much of the southern U.S. from Arizona east, as far north as New England. Introduced to many western states, including California. Inhabits oak and pine forests; young birds need open area where they can forage for insects.
Topo Map:
Perching-like Body
Listen to Call
Voice Text
"cluk, cluk, cut, putt"
Interesting Facts
The Wild Turkey is one of only two domesticated birds originating in the New World. The other is the Muscovy Duck. European explorers took them to Europe from Mexico in the early 1500s. They were so successfully domesticated there that English colonists brought them back with them when they settled on the Atlantic Coast.
The range and numbers of Wild Turkeys had decreased in the early 1900s’ due to hunting and loss of habitat. Game managers believe their numbers were as low as 30,000. Current estimates place their population at over 7 million.
The idea that Benjamin Franklin preferred the Turkey as the national bird of the United States comes from a letter he wrote to his daughter in 1784. He criticized the choice of the Eagle as the national bird and suggested that a Turkey would have made a better alternative.
A group of turkeys has many collective nouns, including a "crop", "dole", "gang", "posse", and "raffle" of turkeys.
Bird Term Glossary
Author
Gary Owen Dick
Artist
Irina Rud-Volga
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