Birds · Galliformes
Wild Turkey
Meleagris gallopavo
Least Concern
The wild turkey is a large ground-dwelling bird native to North America, known for the male's dramatic fan-tail courtship display and its surprising ability to fly short distances at high speed.
Classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Galliformes
Family: Phasianidae
Genus: Meleagris
Species: gallopavo
Related species: Ocellated turkey — genus Meleagris
Weight
5–24 lbs, with males considerably larger than females.
Habitat
Forest, woodland, and farmland.
Description
Dark, iridescent plumage, a bare head with fleshy wattles, and — in males — a fan-shaped tail.
Diet
Omnivore — seeds, insects, and berries.
Flight
Can fly in short, powerful bursts up to 55 mph despite a bulky build.
Head Color
Can change color within seconds depending on the bird's mood.
Courtship
Males "strut," fanning their tail and dragging their wings to attract hens.
Vision
Exceptional daytime eyesight, with a wide field of view to spot approaching predators.
Social Structure
Forms flocks; roosts in trees at night for safety from ground predators.
Clutch Size
Typically 10–14 eggs, incubated for about 28 days.
Sexually Mature
Around 1 year of age.
Life Span
3–5 years in the wild.
Did You Know?
Wild turkeys can fly up to 55 mph in short bursts, despite rarely doing so.
Did You Know?
A turkey's head can change color within seconds depending on its mood.
Did You Know?
Wild turkeys were nearly wiped out across much of the U.S. by the early 1900s before restoration programs helped populations rebound.
Wild Turkey Subspecies
Eastern Wild Turkey
M. g. silvestris — most widespread subspecies
M. g. silvestris — most widespread subspecies
Osceola Wild Turkey
M. g. osceola — found only in Florida
M. g. osceola — found only in Florida
Rio Grande Wild Turkey
M. g. intermedia — found in the south-central U.S.
M. g. intermedia — found in the south-central U.S.
Merriam's Wild Turkey
M. g. merriami — mountain forests of the western U.S.
M. g. merriami — mountain forests of the western U.S.
Gould's Wild Turkey
M. g. mexicana — the largest subspecies
M. g. mexicana — the largest subspecies
Turkey in Foreign Languages
Frenchdinde
GermanTruthahn
Italiantacchino
Portugueseperu
Spanishpavo
Russianindeyka
Polishindyk
Japaneseshichimenchō
Mandarinhuǒjī
Koreanchilmyeonjo
Dutchkalkoen
Swedishkalkon
Norwegiankalkun
Finnishkalkkuna
