Wild Turkey

Wild Turkey(s), Meleagris gallopavo

With a spotted range throughout North America, this native bird has played an important role as a food source to Native Americans and to the economy. It is one of the only two birds originating in the New World that were successfully domesticated in Europe. While the Europeans domesticated the bird in the 1500s, there is evidence that this species was domesticated even earlier during the Late Preclassic (300 BC-AD 100) by Mayans. In relation to the European domestication, there are two different forms of this species: the wild turkey and the domesticated turkey. They can be distinguished by the white tail tip the domesticated form retained from the Mexican subspecies compared to the chestnut-brown tail tips of the wild turkeys.

The wild turkey is widespread in part thanks to introduction into previously uninhabited areas, of which include Hawaii, Germany, Australia, and New Zealand. One reason for this introduction process is the popularity of this species as a game bird. As such, they are not legally protected and current estimates put the population as increasing. Wild turkeys prefer mature open woodlands, particularly oak and pine forests, and are more attracted to areas recently burned which results in desired food plants increasing. While the typical lifespan of a wild turkey is close to two years, there are records of wild turkeys living more than a decade. Typical predators include, but are not limited to: humans, coyotes, fox, opossum, skunks, mink, weasels, raven, crow, squirrels, chipmunks, and various snake species.