Photo: Caleb Putnam / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Wild Turkey
Meleagris gallopavo
Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) — Gamebirds of North America.
Found across 16 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) is a member of the Phasianidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and North America. Adults weigh 5.8 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Galliformes
- Family Phasianidae Pheasants & Allies
- Genus Meleagris
- Species gallopavo
Quick facts
- Weight
- 5.8 kg
- Diet
- Omnivores
- Family
- Phasianidae
- Order
- Galliformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Male vs female
Males (toms) are dark overall with coppery/bronze/green/gold iridescent body feathers and a large bare head of red, white and blue skin with dangling wattles and a chest beard; females are duller and browner with less iridescence and a smaller, more feathered, grayish head.
Juvenile appearance
Young males (jakes) resemble adults but have very short beards and an uneven tail fan with longer central feathers.
Breeding vs non-breeding
No true seasonal plumage change, but a displaying tom's bare head skin flushes bright red, white and blue with excitement.
Similar birds
Least Concern
Endangered
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Wild Turkey is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Wild Turkey is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) is a species of bird in the Phasianidae family, part of the order Galliformes. It occurs naturally across Central America & Caribbean and North America. Its distribution covers NA, MA s Canada, USA and n Mexico.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 5.8 kg, with a wing length of about 44.9 cm and a tail of around 35.1 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 7.3 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Wild Turkey?
The Wild Turkey is a very large bird that weighs around 5.8 kg.
Where does the Wild Turkey live?
The Wild Turkey is found across Central America & Caribbean and North America with a range covering NA, MA s Canada, USA and n Mexico, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Wild Turkey belong to?
The Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) belongs to the Phasianidae family, in the order Galliformes.
What does the Wild Turkey eat?
The Wild Turkey is a omnivore — it takes a broad, omnivorous diet of both plant and animal foods.
Does the Wild Turkey migrate?
The Wild Turkey is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Wild Turkey endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Wild Turkey make?
1 real field recording of the Wild Turkey — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Wild Turkey's range?
The Wild Turkey has a mapped global range of about 7.3 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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