1. WILD TURKEY Meleagris gallopavo

2. Turkey Facts 5,000-6,000 feathers cover the body in patterns called feather tracts Feathers keep turkey dry & warm Allow them to fly Allow them to show off for opposite sex Head & upper part of neck is featherless

3. Feathers exhibit a metallic glittering called iridescence Feather colors vary from red to green to copper to bronze to gold Male is more colorful Female is drab brownish to lighter color to help camouflage with surroundings

4. Male turkey is called the gobbler Female turkey is called the hen Two major characteristics that distinguish males from females, Spurs & Beards Males begin growing spurs soon after birth Spurs can reach up to 2 inches long

5. Beards are modified feathers growing out of chest Beards grow to an average of 9 inches long but can grow much longer 10-20% of hens will have beards Have excellent vision during the day Poor night vision Very mobile

6. Turkeys can run up to 25 mph Turkeys can fly up to 55 mph Mating season can occur between February & April Hens nest in shallow dirt depressions on the ground Hens lay a clutch of 10-12 eggs during a 2-week period, usually laying one egg per day

7. Hens will incubate eggs for about 28 days, occasionally turning & rearranging the eggs until they are ready to hatch Newly hatched flock must be ready to leave the nest within 12-24 hours to feed Young turkeys are called poults

8. Poults eat insects, berries & seeds Adults will eat anything from acorns & berries to insects & small reptiles Usually feed in early morning & afternoon Like open areas for feeding, mating & habitat Forested areas are used as cover from predators & night roosting sites

9. A varied habitat of both open & covered areas is essential for wild turkey survival Pittman-Robertson Act helped restore wild turkeys & habitat The rocket net allowed wildlife agencies to trap & relocate wild turkeys From 30,000 in the early 1900’s to over 7 million today

10. Turkeys cannot overpopulate an area and strip it of available food since their diet varies Gobblers will mate with multiple hens in a season or day An abundance of hens can allow a population to recover from poor hatch years in as few as two years

11. Predator-Prey Relationship Survival of the fittest Fit individuals maintain a healthy breeding population Turkey nests are the main target of predators Snakes, skunks, opossums, raccoons, rodents, dogs, coyotes & crows prey on nests of turkeys

12. About ½ of turkey nests make it to hatching Poults fall prey to hawks, owls, foxes & bobcats Few adults are taken by predators except in situations where the adults are in poor health

13. Habitat Habitat quality also determines how a species will survive predators Early successional plant stages provide shelter for poults & nests Habitat quality & distribution is more important than the number of predators

14. Turkey Information Largest of the North American game birds Adult males weigh between 16 & 24 pounds Adult females weigh between 8 & 10 pounds Largest wild turkey on record weighed 37 pounds

15. Feathers Males: Iridescent red, green, copper, bronze & gold feathers Toms use bright colors for attracting females during breeding season Females: Drab, usually brown or gray feathers. Allow hens to camouflage & hide while nesting

16. Color Phases 4 basic color phases Smokey gray color phase Melanistic color phase (all black) Erythritic color phase (reddish coloration) Albino color phase (very rare)

17. Head Males: brightly colored, nearly featherless; during breeding season the head color will change between red, white & blue, often in a few seconds Females: gray-blue with some small feathers for camouflage

18. Carnucles: fleshy growths on the heads of males & females Snoods: fleshy protrubances which hang over their bills & can be extended or contracted at will Male snoods is much larger than females Unsure of what the snoods are for but believed to be developed as a way to attract mates

21. Beards Cluster of long, hair-like feathers grown from the center of the chest, known as a beard On males, the average beard is 9” long 10-20 percent of hens will grow beards Longest beard on record is more than 18” long

22. Legs Reddish orange in color Have 4 toes on each foot Males will grow large spurs on the back of their lower legs Bony spikes used for defense & establish dominance Can grow up to 2” long Longest spurs on record are 2 ¼” long

23. Tail Usually 12-15 inches long & banded at the tips Color bands will vary by subspecies Males will fan their tails to attract a mate Adult males can be distinguished from juvenile males by the length of tail feathers

24. History Early 1900’s most wild turkey populations had been wiped out due to habitat destruction & commercial harvest. Turnaround began with Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act Today more than 7 million wild turkeys roam North America with huntable populations in all states except Alaska

25. Native to North America 5 subspecies: –Eastern –Osceola (Florida) –Rio Grande –Merriam’s –Gould’s

26. EASTERN

27. Eastern Subspecies (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) Most common of the wild turkeys Ranges the entire eastern half of the United States & farthest north Found in hardwood & mixed forests Has been transplanted into California, Oregon & Washington Silvestris means “forest” turkey

29. Tail feathers tipped with dark buff or chocolate brown Breast feathers tipped in black Toms may measure 4’ tall at maturity & weigh more than 20 pounds Hens may be nearly as tall but usually weigh between 8 & 12 pounds

31. OSCEOLA

34. Osceola Subspecies (Melagris gallopavo osceola) Also known as the Florida wild turkey Found only in Florida Named for Seminole Chief Osceola Tail feathers tipped in brown Body feathers appear to have a green & red tint with less bronze than the Eastern Reproductive cycle begins slightly earlier than the Eastern

38. RIO GRANDE

39. Rio Grande Subspecies (Melagris gallopavo intermedia) Native to the Central Plain States Similar in appearance to other subspecies Tail feathers are yellowish-buff or tan rather than medium or dark brown May be found up to 6,000 feet in elevation Favors more open habitat than wooded

40. Considered a nomadic bird May form large flocks of several hundred birds during winter Known to travel 10 or more miles from winter roost sites to nesting areas Similar in size to the Osceola Disproportionately long legs

41. MERRIAM’S

42. Merriam’s Subspecies (Melagris gallopavo merriami) Found primarily in the Ponderosa Pine, western regions of the U.S. Historic range was Arizona, New Mexico & Colorado Has been successfully stocked into Nebraska, Washington, California & Oregon Habitat dependent

44. Males easily distinguished from other subspecies by nearly white feathers on lower back & tail feather margins Closely resemble the Gould’s but tail margin is not as pure white nor is the margin of the tail tip quite as wide Comparable to the Eastern subspecies in size

46. Has a blacker appearance with blue, purple & bronze reflections Appear to have a white rump

47. GOULD’S

48. Gould’s Subspecies (Melagris gallopavo mexicana) 5 th but least known subspecies Found in portions of Arizona & New Mexico as well as northern Mexico A mountain bird Very small numbers along US/Mexico borders but abundant in northwestern Mexico

50. Largest of the 5 subspecies Resembles the Merriam’s Have longer legs, larger feet & larger center tail feathers Have distinctive white tips on tail feathers Body plumage is said to be somewhat blue-green Females are more purplish

52. OCELLATED

53. Ocellated Turkey (Melagris ocellata) Found only on the Yucatan Peninsula Exists in only a 50,000 square mile area Males & females have similar appearance Neither grow beards Have distinct eye-ring of bright red colored skin

55. Legs are much shorter than North American subspecies Have longer & more pronounced spurs than N.A. gobblers Significantly smaller; males weigh 11- 12 pounds & females weigh 6-7 pounds