Knowra Wild turkey Wild turkey The wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) is a large bird native to North America and the ancestor of domestic turkeys. Its sexes differ in size and plumage, and males display a bare, brightly colored head and a fanned tail.
Meleagris : A genus of large North American birds comprising the wild turkey and ocellated turkey. The wild turkey is one of the two living species in this genus.
Turkey diet : The foods eaten by turkeys, including plant matter, seeds, insects, and other small animals. Wild turkeys shift foods with season and availability while foraging on the ground.
Turkey domestication : The process by which people bred wild turkeys into domestic forms. Domestic turkeys descend from wild populations in Mexico.
Turkey hunting : The pursuit and harvest of wild turkeys under recreational or subsistence traditions. Wild turkey hunting is a major use of the species and a source of conservation funding.
Eastern wild turkey : A wild turkey subspecies found across much of the eastern United States and southern Canada. It is the most widely distributed subspecies and a familiar game bird.
Galliformes : An order of mostly ground-dwelling birds that includes chickens, pheasants, grouse, and turkeys. Its ground-foraging body plan places the wild turkey among these birds.
Turkey flight : The short, powerful flight used by turkeys to escape danger and reach roosts. Despite their size, wild turkeys fly rapidly over short distances.
Mesoamerican agriculture : The farming systems developed by societies in Mesoamerica, including maize cultivation. Early turkey domestication took place within Mesoamerican farming societies.
Wildlife management : The management of wildlife populations and habitats to meet ecological and human goals. Regulated harvest and habitat work have supported wild turkey recovery.
Osceola turkey : The Florida wild turkey, a subspecies native to the Florida peninsula. Its restricted range and distinctive dark plumage set it apart from other populations.
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