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Wild Turkey

Meleagris gallopavo

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45.0024, -93.1248

Field Notes

Description:

This is a large ground-nesting bird from which the domestic turkey was developed. Weights vary across their range, but Minnesota wild turkeys may weigh as much as 11 kg (24 lbs.), but some will get as larger in Minnesota towards the northern end of their range. The plummage is generally dark with russet/copper hues. Wings have bars as shown in photo. The head is bare of feathers. Males have bluish and reddish heads that tend to change to more blue when they are excited or reddish when they are fighting with other males. The males also have a "beard" of dark feathers that hand down the chest. Females are smaller and less colorful.

Habitat:

Wild turkeys exist across a wide range and are adaptable to many different environments. Ours are typically located in deciduous forests in Minnesota.

Notes:

Turkeys can be very wary and difficult to approach. They have excellent eyesight and hearing. However, we are finding wild turkeys are adapting to suburban settings in our area. This particular gobbler was in our backyard flocking with one other gobbler and three hens.

Reference Links:

Wild Turkey

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (3)
Gordon Dietzman
I once asked my grandparents about their wildlife experiences in the late 1800s and early 1900s and they couldn't think of any memorable wildlife events. While extinction is a serious issue, there are some bright glimmers in conservation. Within the last three decades I've seen gigantic strides by conservation programs in protecting and nurturing wildlife populations. Most of those are of the large so-called megafauna, such as wolves, bears, eagles and the like, but many other species benefit as well. Here in the Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota area I've seen big increases in whitetailed deer, bald eagles, wild turkeys, ospreys, wood ducks, herones and egrets, trumpeter swans and so on. Even the Mississippi River with so much of its life unseen is making an enormous comeback in species diversity. Makes life far more interesting!
ScottRasmussen
Nice shot! Turkey populations have really increased here in Massachusetts since they were re-introduced about 40 years ago. I'll often see nursery flocks of a few hens and a bunch of half-grown babies in my back yard late in the summer.

Spotted for Missions

Mission
Birds of the World
Mission
Minnesota Wildlife (Animals)
Photographed
PublishedJuly 6, 2011

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