Thanksgiving
is just around the corner, and like most Americans you are probably looking
forward to gobbling that big meal. Although we most commonly associate turkey with the first Thanksgiving, the Pilgrims and the Indian friends ate so much more than that. Deer and eels were also on the menu. Your turkey was likely farm-raised, but its
ancestors, before domestication, were wild. November’s species of the month is
the wild turkey.
Scientific
name: Meleagris gallopavo
Kingdom:
Animalia (animals)
Class:
Aves (birds)
Order:
Galliformes (chicken-like birds)
Range:
Eastern US, parts of western US, northern Mexico; introduced in other areas of
US, Germany, and New Zealand
Habitat:
Hardwood or mixed forest with openings
Lifespan:
1-2 years (estimated)
Diet:
Omnivorous- insects, small amphibians, nuts, seeds, grains, roots, leaves
Predators:
Raccoons, opossums, skunks, foxes, coyotes, bobcats, rat snakes, bull snakes,
mountain lions, eagles, great horned owls, humans
Conservation
Status: No special protection
Other
Information: Popular game bird. Turkey habitat conservation benefits other
species. Males (toms) use their impressive tail feathers and gobbling to
attract a mate. Mating season is early spring; females lay 4-15 eggs in a
single annual clutch. Active during the day, turkeys roost in trees at night.
Yes, they can fly! The turkey was proposed as America’s national symbol by Ben
Franklin.
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| Female turkey with chicks (what I call turklets) |
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| Male turkey in display |
This week's facts and pictures come once again from University of Michigan's Animal Diversity Web
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