Wild Turkey’sWild Turkey’s

By: Travis DeLozierBy: Travis DeLozier

Wild Turkey TriviaWild Turkey Trivia

Turkey’s can run up to speeds Turkey’s can run up to speeds of 20 mph?of 20 mph?

A young turkey is called a A young turkey is called a turkling?turkling?

Turkeys have heart attacks?Turkeys have heart attacks? The male turkey’s head turns The male turkey’s head turns

the colors of Germany’s Flag?the colors of Germany’s Flag? A wild turkey was clocked A wild turkey was clocked

flying at 55 miles per hour? flying at 55 miles per hour? Turkeys can drown if they Turkeys can drown if they

look up when it is raining? look up when it is raining? Turkey feathers were used by Turkey feathers were used by

Native Americans to stabilize Native Americans to stabilize arrows? arrows?

TT FF T (The United States T (The United States

Air Force was doing Air Force was doing test runs and breaking test runs and breaking the sound barrier. the sound barrier. Nearby turkeys Nearby turkeys dropped dead with dropped dead with heart attacks.) heart attacks.)

FF TT FF TT

Domestic Turkey Trivia Domestic Turkey Trivia

Turkey breeding has Turkey breeding has caused turkey breasts to caused turkey breasts to grow so large that the grow so large that the turkeys fall over?turkeys fall over?

For their first meal on the For their first meal on the moon, astronauts Neil moon, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin ate roast turkey in Aldrin ate roast turkey in foil packets? foil packets?

Turkeys will have 1,500 Turkeys will have 1,500 feathers at maturity? feathers at maturity?

April is National Turkey April is National Turkey Lover’s Month?Lover’s Month?

Turkeys can see in color?Turkeys can see in color?

TT TT F (4,000 to 5,000)F (4,000 to 5,000) F (June)F (June) TT

Turkey TermsTurkey Terms

CaruncleCaruncle - brightly colored growths on - brightly colored growths on the throat region.  Turns bright red when the throat region.  Turns bright red when the turkey is upset or during courtship. the turkey is upset or during courtship.

GizzardGizzard - a part of a bird's stomach that - a part of a bird's stomach that contains tiny stones.  It helps them grind contains tiny stones.  It helps them grind up food for digestion. up food for digestion.

HenHen - a female turkey. - a female turkey. PoultPoult - a baby turkey.  A chick. - a baby turkey.  A chick.

Turkey TermsTurkey Terms

SnoodSnood - the flap of skin that hangs over the - the flap of skin that hangs over the turkey's beak.  Turns bright red when the turkey's beak.  Turns bright red when the turkey is upset or during courtship. turkey is upset or during courtship.

TomTom - a male turkey.  Also known as a - a male turkey.  Also known as a gobbler. gobbler.

WattleWattle - the flap of skin under the turkey's - the flap of skin under the turkey's chin. Turns bright red when the turkey is upset chin. Turns bright red when the turkey is upset or during courtship. or during courtship.

Scientific genus and speciesScientific genus and species:  :  Meleagris Meleagris gallopavogallopavo

What Does a Wild Turkey Look What Does a Wild Turkey Look Like?Like?

SIZESIZE

The wild turkey is the largest of North The wild turkey is the largest of North America's game birds. America's game birds.

Adult males, known as toms, or gobblers, Adult males, known as toms, or gobblers, normally weigh between 16 and 24 pounds. normally weigh between 16 and 24 pounds.

Females, known as hens, are smaller than Females, known as hens, are smaller than males and usually weigh between 8 and ten males and usually weigh between 8 and ten pounds. pounds.

The largest wild turkey on record weighed The largest wild turkey on record weighed 37 pounds. 37 pounds.

Feathers Feathers

Males:Males: Iridescent red, green, copper, bronze and Iridescent red, green, copper, bronze and gold feathers. Toms use these bright colors to great gold feathers. Toms use these bright colors to great advantage when attracting females during breeding advantage when attracting females during breeding season. season.

Females:Females: Drab, usually brown or gray feathers. They Drab, usually brown or gray feathers. They make great camouflage and hide hens when they sit make great camouflage and hide hens when they sit on their nests. on their nests.

Color Phases:Color Phases: A few wild turkeys grow unusually A few wild turkeys grow unusually colored feathers. These are known as color phases. colored feathers. These are known as color phases. There are four color phases, a smokey gray color There are four color phases, a smokey gray color phase, a melanistic color phase (all black), an phase, a melanistic color phase (all black), an erythritic color phase (reddish coloration) and an erythritic color phase (reddish coloration) and an albino color phase (very rare). albino color phase (very rare).

Head Head

Males: Males: Males have brightly colored, nearly Males have brightly colored, nearly featherless heads. During breeding season the color featherless heads. During breeding season the color of their heads alternates between red, white and of their heads alternates between red, white and blue, often changing in a few seconds. blue, often changing in a few seconds.

Hens:Hens: A hen's head is gray-blue and has some small A hen's head is gray-blue and has some small feathers for camouflage. feathers for camouflage.

Caruncles and Snoods:Caruncles and Snoods: Both males and females Both males and females have fleshy growths on their heads known as have fleshy growths on their heads known as caruncles. They also both have snoods, fleshy caruncles. They also both have snoods, fleshy protrubances which hang over their bills and can be protrubances which hang over their bills and can be extended or contracted at will. The snood of an adult extended or contracted at will. The snood of an adult male is usually much larger than that of a female. No male is usually much larger than that of a female. No one knows for sure what these growths are for, but one knows for sure what these growths are for, but both probably developed as ways to attract mates. both probably developed as ways to attract mates.

Beard Beard

A male turkey grows a cluster of long, A male turkey grows a cluster of long, hairlike feathers from the center of its hairlike feathers from the center of its chest. This cluster is known as the chest. This cluster is known as the turkey's beard. turkey's beard.

On adult males, these beards average On adult males, these beards average about 9 inches long. about 9 inches long.

10 to 20 percent of hens also grow 10 to 20 percent of hens also grow beards. beards.

The longest beard on record is more than The longest beard on record is more than 18 inches long. 18 inches long.

Legs Legs

Wild turkey legs are reddish orange. Wild turkey legs are reddish orange. They have four toes on each foot. They have four toes on each foot. Male wild turkeys grow large spurs on the Male wild turkeys grow large spurs on the

backs of their lower legs. These spurs are backs of their lower legs. These spurs are pointed, bony spikes and are used for pointed, bony spikes and are used for defense and to establish dominance. defense and to establish dominance.

Spurs can grow up to 2 inches in length. Spurs can grow up to 2 inches in length. The longest spurs on record are 2.25 The longest spurs on record are 2.25 inches long. inches long.

Tail Tail

Wild turkey tails are usually 12 to 15 inches Wild turkey tails are usually 12 to 15 inches long and are banded at their tips. The color of long and are banded at their tips. The color of the bands in the tail varies by subspecies. the bands in the tail varies by subspecies.

Male wild turkeys fan their tails when Male wild turkeys fan their tails when displaying to attract a mate. displaying to attract a mate.

You can usually tell the difference between an You can usually tell the difference between an adult male and a juvenile male (a jake) turkey adult male and a juvenile male (a jake) turkey by looking at a turkey's tail: All tail feathers of by looking at a turkey's tail: All tail feathers of adult males are the same length. The feathers adult males are the same length. The feathers forming the center of a jake's tail are usually forming the center of a jake's tail are usually longer than the rest of the feathers in the tail. longer than the rest of the feathers in the tail.

Turkey BiologyTurkey Biology

Habitat- open, mixed hardwood and Habitat- open, mixed hardwood and pine forests pine forests

Forage- succulent grasses and Forage- succulent grasses and forbes, insects, leftover grains, fruits forbes, insects, leftover grains, fruits of the grape, cherry and black gum, of the grape, cherry and black gum, seeds including mast crops of acorns, seeds including mast crops of acorns, pine nuts and juniper (cedar) berries, pine nuts and juniper (cedar) berries, and new growth agricultural crops. and new growth agricultural crops.

Turkey BiologyTurkey Biology

Mating Season: February to April Mating Season: February to April Clutch Size: 10 to 12 eggs over a 2 Clutch Size: 10 to 12 eggs over a 2

week period, usually laying 1 a dayweek period, usually laying 1 a day Incubation period: 28 daysIncubation period: 28 days Expected lifespan in wildExpected lifespan in wild

1 to 2 years 1 to 2 years Longest known lifespan in wildLongest known lifespan in wild

13 years (high) 13 years (high)

Differences Between Gobblers Differences Between Gobblers and Hens and Hens

PredatorsPredators

raccoonsraccoons opossums opossums striped skunksstriped skunks grey foxesgrey foxes birdsbirds woodchuckswoodchucks rodentsrodents spotted skunksspotted skunks

bobcats bobcats rat snakesrat snakes bull snakes bull snakes coyotescoyotes mountain lions mountain lions golden eagles golden eagles great horned owlsgreat horned owls humanshumans

The Difference Between The Difference Between Wild & Domestic TurkeysWild & Domestic Turkeys

History History

Indians harvested turkeys to make robes, arrow Indians harvested turkeys to make robes, arrow fletching and blankets out of their feathers. The fletching and blankets out of their feathers. The also used feathers for ceremonial head dresses also used feathers for ceremonial head dresses and spurs for arrow tips.and spurs for arrow tips.

In the late 1700’s birds were exposed to heavy In the late 1700’s birds were exposed to heavy market hunting (some historical reports mention market hunting (some historical reports mention that hens sold for 6 cents apiece while big that hens sold for 6 cents apiece while big gobblers brought a quarter at game markets). gobblers brought a quarter at game markets).

In the early 1900s, only around 30,000 turkeys In the early 1900s, only around 30,000 turkeys remained due to uncontrolled hunting.remained due to uncontrolled hunting.

HistoryHistory

During the last 60 During the last 60 years, state and federal years, state and federal wildlife agencies, which wildlife agencies, which are funded largely by are funded largely by hunters' dollars, have hunters' dollars, have spent megabucks on spent megabucks on habitat-improvement habitat-improvement and turkey trap-and-and turkey trap-and-transplant projects. transplant projects.

Today, some 4.5 million Today, some 4.5 million big birds roam 49 big birds roam 49 states (all except states (all except Alaska). Alaska).

Eastern Wild Turkey Eastern Wild Turkey

The most widely The most widely distributed, abundant distributed, abundant and hunted.and hunted.

Inhabits roughly the Inhabits roughly the eastern half of the eastern half of the country country

L.J.P. Vieillot first L.J.P. Vieillot first described and named described and named the eastern subspecies the eastern subspecies in in 1817 using the word 1817 using the word silvestris, silvestris, meaning "forest" meaning "forest" turkey. turkey.

Florida Wild Turkey Florida Wild Turkey

Also referred to as the Also referred to as the Osceola, is found only Osceola, is found only on the peninsula of on the peninsula of Florida. Florida.

W.E.D. Scott, who W.E.D. Scott, who named it for the famous named it for the famous Seminole Chief, Seminole Chief, Osceola, first described Osceola, first described this particular this particular subspecies in 1890. subspecies in 1890.

Similar to the eastern Similar to the eastern wild turkey, but is wild turkey, but is smaller and darker in smaller and darker in color color

Rio Grande Wild Turkey Rio Grande Wild Turkey

Native to the central Native to the central plains states plains states

This subspecies was This subspecies was first described by first described by George B. Sennett in George B. Sennett in 1879 1879

Similar in body size to Similar in body size to the Florida Turkeythe Florida Turkey

Distinguishing Distinguishing characteristic is the tan characteristic is the tan tipped tail feathers tipped tail feathers

Merriam's Wild Turkey Merriam's Wild Turkey

Found primarily in the Found primarily in the ponderosa pine, western ponderosa pine, western mountain regions of the mountain regions of the United States. United States.

Named by Dr. E.W. Nelson Named by Dr. E.W. Nelson in 1900 in honor of C. Hart in 1900 in honor of C. Hart Merriam, the first chief of Merriam, the first chief of the U.S. Biological Survey. the U.S. Biological Survey.

Distinguished from the Distinguished from the eastern, Florida and Rio eastern, Florida and Rio Grande by the nearly white Grande by the nearly white feathers on the lower back feathers on the lower back and tail feather margins and tail feather margins

Gould's Wild Turkey Gould's Wild Turkey

Found in portions of Found in portions of Arizona and New Arizona and New Mexico Mexico

Described by J. Described by J. Gould in 1856 Gould in 1856 during his travels in during his travels in MexicoMexico

The largest of the 5 The largest of the 5 subspecies and subspecies and resembles the resembles the Merriam's turkey Merriam's turkey

The Other TurkeyThe Other Turkey

There are only two species of turkey in There are only two species of turkey in the world; the North American wild the world; the North American wild turkey, divided into five distinct turkey, divided into five distinct subspecies, and the ocellated turkey. subspecies, and the ocellated turkey.

The ocellated turkey is known by The ocellated turkey is known by several different names that vary by several different names that vary by Central American locale: pavo, pavo Central American locale: pavo, pavo ocelado, or its Mayan Indian name, ocelado, or its Mayan Indian name, ucutz il chican. ucutz il chican.

Ocellated Turkey Ocellated Turkey

Significantly Significantly smaller than any of smaller than any of the five subspecies the five subspecies of North American of North American wild turkeys. wild turkeys.

Coloration is Coloration is uniqueunique

                                    

              Eastern Eastern SubspeciesSubspecies

              Osceola Osceola SubspeciesSubspecies

              Rio GrandeRio Grande

              Merriam's Merriam's SubspeciesSubspecies

              Gould's Gould's SubspeciesSubspecies

              OcellatedOcellated

Yellow areas inhabited Yellow areas inhabited bybyhybridized subspecieshybridized subspecies

References References

http://www.nwtf.org/http://www.nwtf.org/ http://www.birds.cornell.edu/http://www.birds.cornell.edu/

AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/AllAboutBirds/BirdGuide/Wild_Turkey.htmlWild_Turkey.html

http://www.enature.com/home/http://www.enature.com/home/

The EndThe End