Creature Feature: Gobble It Up

What are some animals that you are grateful for? They could be as simple as household pets, like cats or dogs. Or, it may be ones that are found in nature, ranging from birds to mammals. For many, November is a time for thanks, usually in the form of a celebration known as Thanksgiving. Therefore, this month's Creature Feature shall highlight the animal most often thought of when thinking about this month of gratitude. For those of you who have turkey in mind, you are correct! The wild one, to be specific.

Wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) are the largest of an order of birds known as the Galliformes. This order is known for its heavier, ground-feeding birds that include chickens, pheasants, and even peacocks! Historically, these turkeys roamed much of North America east of the Rocky Mountains. However, as decades passed, turkeys were introduced to other regions west of the mountains. Their preferred habitat is a mixture of forest and field, where they will spend their days walking and foraging for an omnivorous diet, which may include nuts, seeds, berries, and insects. At night, turkeys will rest and hide from potential predators by roosting up in trees.

Wild turkey eating leftover seeds from a feeder.

Like many bird species, there are differences between a male and female wild turkey. Males have several characteristics that make themselves stand out: long, fan-shaped tail feathers, a hair-like “beard” near the center of their chest, and a blue/red head and neck that displays growths known as wattles and caruncles. Females are not as bulky as their male counterparts and are overall dark brown all around. In the spring, a male may attempt to win the affection of a female by puffing out his feathers, strutting around an area, and making a gobbling noise as a way to show dominance. 

A turkey nest is unlike your traditional bird nest; the females nest by creating a depression dug in the ground and surrounding it with vegetation, and the males provide no parental care. It takes about a month for turkey eggs to hatch. When they do, the baby turkeys (called poults) spend only a few days with their mother before leaving out on their own. This ability is known as being nidifugous - an organism that is able to leave its nest shortly after birth.

Wild turkey males fanning their tails.

Did you know: if Benjamin Franklin got his wish for the national bird, we could very well have the image of a turkey all across America as opposed to the bald eagle? 

Click here to learn more about the wild turkey

Submitted by naturalist Zach Mork, November 2023